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MOORS SCHOOL 



AT OLD DISTRICT NO. 2 



GROTON. MASSACHUSETTS 



THE STORY OF A DISTRICT SCHOOL 



BY EDWARD ADAMS RICHARDSON 



SEPTEMBER, 1911 
AVER, MASSACHUSETTS 




Mooris School. ITicJ— 11)11. 



X. 






MOORS SCHOOL 

AT OLD DISTRICT NO. 2 

GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS 



THE STORY OF A DISTRICT SCHOOL 



By Edward adams Richardson 



The good old-fashioned district 
school has many friends and staunch 
supporters. Among them are those 
who were once pupils and know from 
experience the advantages and disad- 
vantages of the system as compared 
with the more recent method of con- 
centrating all schooling in the vil- 
lages, in graded schools. 

However isolated and inconvenient 
many of the schoolhouses were, the 
association there of younger with old- 
er pupils was not altogether to their 
disadvantage. Those who have en- 
joyed the privilege of attending a dis- 
trict school, or a school in a rural 
district, will readily recall how many 
of the older ones felt that they were 
held up as models for the younger 
ones and thus renewed their efforts 
in industry and good behavior. 

PMucation, too, is largely a process 
of assimilation and frequently the 
younger pupils could equal the older 
ones in knowledge contained between 
the covers of text books to which 
they had not yet been assigned. 

The district school furnishes just 
the training needed to broaden the 
younger minds, to teach them that 



there is something more to be acquired 
besides that which is laid down in 
their particular school books and their 
association with older pupils leads 
them to hope to know the things their 
further advanced schoolmates are 
learning. It is, however, admitted, 
that when our district scliool children 
have arrived at an advanced age it 
seems desirable that they be gathered 
with others into the graded schools 
where undiTided attention is given 
to studies arranged especially for 
older pupils. 

The associations of the rural dis- 
trict school are close and intimate. 
Many of the pupils are of families 
who are bound together by ties of 
kinship or have been friends and 
neighbors for years. There is a 
friendliness and tenderness in the 
gathering together of these children 
in the small country schoolhouses and 
quite often the teacher has a kindly 
interest in their moral and intellectual 
welfare greater than in the village 
schools where their environment is 
supposed to be under the oversight of 
the village authorities. 



1 — 



In the rural district the teacher be- 
comes an intimate friend of the par- 
ents of her pupils, more often living 
in their homes and learns of their 
hopes for their offspring and is fully 
in sympathy with the sentiment as 
expressed in the frontispiece of the 
New England primer of 1836. 

Children, like tender osiers, take the 
bow, 
And as they first are fashioned al- 
ways grow; 
For what we learn in youth, to that 
alone. 
In ages, we are by second nature 
prone. 

The ungraded school is an institu- 
tion dating from the early days of the 
settlement of this country and in the 
new colonies after 1700 that institu- 
tion known as a traveling school, suc- 
ceeded the old dames school. 

Under this arrangement the out- 
lying districts were given a school- 
master or mistress who went about 
gathering in various farm houses a 
few pupils who were taught the rudi- 
ments of the three R's — Reading, 'Kit- 
ing and 'Rithmetic. 

Shortly after 1700, there was less 
interest in educational matters than 
in the Pilgrim days, especially in the 
interior towns. 

The New England primer was quite 
an advance as a text book over the 
school book of the Pilgrim days, 
which was one book for the whole 
school, the old English hornbook. This 
was a single card, containing the al- 
phabet and a few simple arithmetic 
tables, and the whole covered with a 
transparent sheet of horn to protect 
it from the inquisitive fingers of as- 
piring youth, who resorted to it for 
instruction where it hung suspended 
by a string from the wall. This is 
to be compared with the present day 
method when every pupil has ample 
text books furnished at public ex- 
pense. 

In Groton, S'chools had been kept 
in the various angles or squadrons of 
the town for many years previous to 
the promulgation of the new school 
law in 1789. These schools were in 
small and rough buildings, often cold 
and heated in a manner by fires in 
open fireplaces. 

An interpretation of the history of 
Groton leads us to believe that these 
schools were supported wholly by the 
parents of the children in the par- 



ticular squadron in which the school 
was maintained, until about the year 
1755. 

At this time, from the total amount 
of money appropriated by the town 
for schools, "twenty pounds was set 
apart for the 'outskirts.' " 

The year 1753, was the date of 
the setting up of Shirley and Pep- 
perell as separate districts, and in 
the latter district the same method of 
providing for the "outskirts" was fol- 
lowed. 

Again in Groton in 1758, twenty 
pounds was set apart for the "read- 
ing and writing schools in the sev- 
eral angles of the town," besides 
thirty pounds for the grammar school 
at the center of the town. This 
amount was to be applied only for 
instruction and the inhabitants of the 
angles or squadrons, later called dis- 
tricts, undoubtedly provided their own 
rude schoolhouses on land contributed 
by individuals as is shown by the 
clause in many of the deeds which 
provided that the land should revert 
to the original owners or their heirs 
or assigns, should the school cease 
to exist. 

From the year 1789, dates the be- 
ginning of Number Two school as a 
district school, for which the inhabit- 
ants of that part of the town were 
taxed for its maintenance. It is re- 
corded in 1790, that there were sixty- 
six children of school age in "Major 
Moors' District No. 2." 

In 1792, the town voted to erect 
several schoolhouses on the sites of 
the old ones and undoubtedly the 
present house in Major Joseph Moors' 
immediate neighborhood was built in 
accordance with this vote. 

The law of 1789, required that towns 
of fifty families should have six 
months of schooling, and that reading, 
writing, spelling and arithmetic be 
taught in the common or English 
schools, and that towns having two 
hundred families should have a gram- 
mar school. This last was in a man- 
ner letting down the bars, for in the 
ancient law of 1647, towns of one hun- 
dred families were required to main- 
tain a grammar school where young 
men could be prepared for the minis- 
try, having particular reference to 
their being fitted to enter Harvard 
college. This had no reference to the 
education of the girls, who rarely 



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wont bpyond the New Enghand primer 
in tliose early days. 

At tiie time of the new school law 
of 1789, the requirements were that 
the districts siiould be organized and 
that the organization should choose 
a clerk and prudential coinmittoe, who 
had almost autocratic power. The 
records of some of these district meet- 
ings show between the lines petty 
jealousies, particularly in the employ- 
ment of the teacher, who might of- 
ten be a member of the family of the 
prudential committee. 

After 1789, the academies, which 
were intended as fitting schools for 
young men for college, and as semi- 
naries for young ladies, became the 
goal to which many youths in the 
district schools were looking. It is 
true that since that date, in about 
1827, the district school training had 
steadily advanced into geography and 
grammar and other studies often 
spoken of by their brothers before 
them in college. A year at the acad- 
emy often led them to desire some- 
thing more. The summer schools of 
those days were taught by the acad- 
emy girls and the winter terms by 
young men still in college classes, 
who were permitted to take a vaca- 
tion for the purpose of teaching a 
district school and thus help pay their 
way through college. 

In the employment of male teachers 
for the winter terms, the committee had 
in mind their ability to master their 
pupils should occasion arise. They 
undoubtedly had instilled into them 
from out their old New England prim- 
ers: "Foolishness is bound up in the 
heart of a child, but the rod of cor- 
rection will drive it from him." 

Happily the rod of correction is 
laid on the shelf and is seldom used 
in an age where love and mutual re- 
spect are prevalent in the schoolroom 
between teacher and pupils. 

In the state library at Boston, is a 
copy of the school by-laws for Gro- 
ton in 180B. Article V'llI was insert- 
ed as follows: "That the advantages 
of the grammar s<'hool may be ex- 
tended to the greatest possible num- 
ber of individuals and may be en- 
joyed as equally as may be, the said 
school shall be kept in District No. 
I four months, in No. II, III and V. 
two months respectively In each 
year." 



This was probably another reason 
for employing college graduates large- 
ly, about this time as teachers of the 
winter schools. They were e.xpected 
to be proficient in tiie advanced 
branches which would prepare the 
way for the young men for college 
and the ministry. 

The following from the same source, 
though printed in full in Dr. Samuel 
A. Green's Groton Historical Series, 
Vol. I, No. IX, is so pertinent that it 
will bear repeating: At a meeting of 
the school committee of Groton, held 
November 30, 1805, it was voted to 
adopt the following: "1. The bible, 
which affords the best lessons of mor- 
ality and religion, must be read in 
all the schools, at least a portion of 
it, in the forenoon, and another, in 
the afternoon, either by the instruc- 
tor, or by a class of such scholars, 
as can read with propriety, accord- 
ing to his discretion. All those who 
can read well enough to belong to the 
bible class, must be required to sup- 
ply themselves with bibles for their 
use in schools." 

In 1800, the law gave the power to 
tax the inhabitants of the district for 
the maintenance of the school and 
even for the erection of new houses, 
if required, and from this time the 
district system was in full swing and 
power for many years, until finally 
abolished in 1882. Under such con- 
ditions our little brick school at No. 
2 came into existence, and like many 
others was erected in a barren, unat- 
tractive spot, near the fork of the 
roads and as near as may be to the 
center of the district. 

A description of the limits of the 
district is interesting as showing the 
residents. In 1805, the by-laws of 
Groton relative to schools gives the 
limits of the various school districts 
at that time. These are published by 
Dr. Samuel A. Green, at length, in 
Groton Historical Series. Vol. I. No. 
IX. 

The second description of the dis- 
trict published in 1827, in a new code 
of by-laws is as follows: "No. 2 ex- 
tends from Russell's lane on the road 
towards Harvard to the forks souther- 
ly of William Hurgess'; easterly to 
Snake Hill Including Curtis I^w- 
rence's House: from the fork of the 
roads southei y of Wm. lUncroft's 
House by Levi Stone's to Harvard 
Road; by Benjamin Moors to the guide 



— 3 



post at Lunenburg Road; and by 
Charles Warren and Capt. Tlios. 
Farnsworth to Pages Bridge." 

Comparing tliis with the description 
of 1805, we find that Russell's lane is 
mentioned in both; that William Bur- 
gess lives where John Fiske was, and 
Curtis Lawrence has succeeded to the 
estate of Joel Lawrence; I\Iajor Jo- 
seph JMoors, the veteran of two wars, 
has passed on and his son Benja- 
man is living at the farm settled by 
his ancestor, Abraham Moors, in 1716. 

The William Bancroft place referred 
to is the place a few years later 
occupied by John Jackson Graves. 
William Bancroft was a lieutenant in 
the revolutionary war, and later a 
sheriff and town officer. 

Charles Warren, in 1827, lived near 
the present Gardner estate, and Capt. 
Thomas Farnsworth resided at the 
old Farnsworth house on the hillside 
towards the river. 

In the law of 1827, it was required 
that towns choose prudential com- 
mittees for the several districts, which 
was done by allowing the districts to 
select their own and this was the 
method generally throughout the 
state. 

In view of our knowledge of suc- 
ceeding school events in ^Massachu- 
setts, we are to believe that the peri- 
od immediately thereafter was rather 
a degenerate one as regards educa- 
tional matters, perhaps due to un- 
scrupulous overseers in school affairs 
and this decadence continued until 
taken up by James G. Carter of Lan- 
caster, who preceded and became an 
able coadjutor with Horace Mann, the 
secretary of the newly established 
Board of Education in 1837, the date 
which marks tbe revival of the school 
laws. 

The third description of the dis- 
trict is printed in the new code of 
town by-laws which is inserted with 
the state laws in a record book print- 
ed in 1838, and distributed by the 
town to the various districts for the 
use of the clerks. 

The original record book of District 
No. 2 school for the years 1838 to 
1868, inclusive, is in existence and 
has revealed much interesting mat- 
ter. Extracts have been made which 
may be of peculiar interest since they 
show the residents of the district for 
thirty years, and the number of their 
children between the ages of five and 



fifteen, and fifteen and twenty-one, 
male and female as required by law 
to be enumerated by the district 
clerk on May first of each year. 

In order to show the limits of the 
district in 1838, it seems desirable to 
also insert tbose of District No. 1. 
"No. 1 is bounded beginning at the 
bridge over James' Brook in the cen- 
ter of the Town, on the great county 
road, thence running southwesterly by 
the current of said brook to the mid- 
dle of broad meadow, thence south- 
erly through the middle of said broad 
meadow, crossing the road at "Swill 
bridge," and thence by the current of 
water to the road called Russell's 
Lane, thence easterly by said Lane 
to the road leading to Harvard, thence 
northerly by the Harvard Road to a 
point therein northerly of the house 
of Curtis Lawrence, thence south- 
easterly to Half Moon pond, thence 
northwesterly to the road midway be- 
tween the houses of Rufus Moors and 
Joshua Davis, thence nortberly to the 
great county road at the brook issu- 
ing from Cady's pond, thence to the 
road midway between the houses of 
David Torrey and Sally Whitman, 
thence to the top of Gibbet hill, thence 
northwesterly to the point of begin- 
ning." 

"No. 2 is bounded northerly by No. 
1, from Half-moon pond to the water 
course in Russell's lane thence run- 
ning northwesterly to the forks of the 
road between the houses of John J. 
Graves and Stephen Kendall, thence 
due west to Nashua River, thence up 
said river to Page's bridge, thence 
southeasterly to the forks of the road 
southerly of Oliver Blood's house, 
thence easterly to the top of snake 
hill, thence northerly to the place of 
beginning at half-moon pond." 

In the enumeration as made by the 
clerk it does not follow that all were 
in attendance at this school. Some of 
the older ones were attending school 
at Groton Center, in the earlier years 
at the academy, and later at the high 
school which was established in 1859. 
Some were going to the grammar 
school at South Groton and some 
through with school and at work long 
before the age limit of twenty-one. 

To one familiar with the birth dates 
of the sons and daughters of the old 
families this enumeration is a pretty 
clear index of the attending scholars 
of old No. 2. 



4 — 




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In the earlier days the district lines 
were quite closely drawn and several 
houses were never considered in the 
district, though near the line, for 
instance, the Arteniaa Longley home- 
stead and the John J. Graves place. 
In order to show where the pupils 
lived, as far as is at present known, 
a list of occupants of various houses 
is given here. It will not show all 
the names of parents of scholars, but 
running back from the last known 
occupants will give for the most part 
the homes of the pupils. Beginning 
with the old Rufus Moors place in 
the eastern part of the district, the 
houses are taken in succession: 



10. 



11. 



12. 

13. 
14. 



If). 

Ifi. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 
21. 



Rufus Moors — house removed. 

Rork, Bliss. Sivert, Lewis, Jo- 
seph Moors. 

Robert Duren. 

A. Tuttle, Eaton, Whittaker, Col- 
ley, Race, N. Sawtell. 

Willis, Joel Page, Curtis Law- 
rence, Joel Lawrence. 

Ranisdell, Hawkes, Harris, Hol- 
brook, Drake, Kendall, Boyn- 
ton. 

Bowles, Dickerman, Taintor, H. 
Stone, James Stone. 

F. Tuttle, Turner, Gould, Dun- 
ham, Samuel F. Stone. 

J. Sargent, Ward Stone, Betsey 
Stone. 

J. E. Gilson, F. E. Gilson, J. iM. 
Gilson, Goodwin, Fletcher, 
Ward Stone, William Chase, 
Peter Chase. 

R. Sargent, J. Tuttle, Benjamin 
Stevens, Benjamin Stone, Car- 
rig, Willard, L. Burgess. 

Ilarriman, Gaut, Chase, E. Saw- 
tell. 

Clough, Gove, Wright, Hubbard. 

Black, Thompson, Jewett, Marble, 
Nimmo, Sparks, Robinson, 
Lawrence H. Gilson, Asa Gil- 
son. 

iSIiller, G. Tuttle, Hulen. H. Gil- 
son, Ward Stone, Gallot. 

A. G. Lewis, Sanborn, Hodgeman, 
Matthias Farnsworth. 

Joseph Graves. Hazzard. Hub- 
bard~old house removed. 

Jewett. Sumner Graves, T. Stone, 
W. Burgess, Fiske. 

T. Smith, Mason, Hills, Stewart. 
J. M. Gilson, Levi Stone. 

Evans — house removed. 
Mandigo. Culver, Chase. Ilarri- 
man. Mason, Moors. 



22. James Culver. 

23. Collins, Delano, Wood, Wheeler, 

George Brown, Reuben Hart- 
well. 

24. Weber, McCarthy, Lyons, Bond, 

Ellen Brown, Kemp. 

25. Wood, Russell. Abraham Stone. 

26. Rand. Dickson, Donlon, Abraliam 

Stone. 

27. H. Farnsworth, N. Hartwell, Abel 

Page. 

28. Bessant. 

29. Berquist, Grimes, Cutts, R. Hart- 

well. 

30. Taylor, Page, Harkinson, Pate, 

Keegan, Donahue, T. Pollard, 
Whittemore, J. Farnsworth. 

31. Monroe, Wyeth — house removed. 

32. Taylor, Messer, L. Farnsworth. 

33. W. Davis, Achorn, N. Davis, A. 

Farnsworth. 

34. Keating, J. Pollard, David Davis. 

35. Dickinson, Richardson, Moody, 

Dickson, Hildreth. 

36. Huebner, Swan, Newman, Gush- 

ing. 

37. Berquist, Daffy, Leathes, Denahy. 

38. Hackett. 

39. Rynn, Parker — house removed. 

40. Smith, Fitz — house removed. 

41. Jefferson, Watson, Root, Fuller, 

Daggett, Pollard, Chase, Hall, 
Stanley — house burned. 

42. Gilson, Dutton — house removed. 

43. G. Culver, T. Goding, Dibble, 

Hamlet, Livingston, Messer, 
Newton, Ferrin, Richardson, 
Leighton — house removed. 

44. Benjamin Hartwell — house re- 

moved. 

45. Whitney, Jewett, Richardson, 

Torrey, Marcy, Keyes, Otis. 

46. Butler, Kendall, Billings, Rich- 

ardson — house removed. 

47. Powell, Hannis. J. Goodwin — 

house burned. 

48. Waitt, J. Hartwell, Shattuck, 

Kendall, Hopkins — house re- 
moved. 

49. Harris, Moulton, Corey, Frost, 

Stanley. 

50. Palmer, Chlsholm, Keegan, Sha- 

bono, Messer. Twitchell. Rear- 
don, Robblns, Bishop, Carruth, 
Torrey, G. Culver, Higgins, 
Needham. Otis. Brennan, Foye, 
Frost. Hopkins. J. McGilson. 

51. Giddings; new home burned. 

52. French. Wing, Richardson— Yeast 

house burned. 
Houses outside the district: 



— 5 — 



53. Stewart, Williams, Blood, J. J. 

Graves. 

54. Hennegan. 

55. Scanlon, Dodge. 

56. Magoon, O'Neil, Kilbourn. 

57. Thomas McGovern, Hall, Benja- 

min Hazen. 

The district school meetings were 
all conducted in a similar manner, 
and the record of one is here given 
for the purpose of showing the pro- 
cedure: 

At a legal meeting of the legal 
voters in District No. 2, held March 
3rd, 1857: 

1. Chose Alva Wriglit, moderator. 

2. Chose Luke Farnsworth, clerk. 

3. Chose John M. Gilson, pruden- 
tial committee. 

4. Voted that the wood be broughte 
to the school house before the first 
of June cut four feet long and cut 
twice and split fit for the stove and 
put into the wood shed. 

5. Voted to get too cords of oak 
one cord of pine wood Alva Right 
bid of the wood at $6.63 cents per 
cord. Voted that the summer school 
begin June Monday first and the win- 
ter school the first Monday after 
Thanksgiving. 

6. Voted to desolve the meeting 
attest Luke Farnsworth, Clerk. 

Then follows a table of the enum- 
eration of children, fifty-six under 
fifteen and twelve over fifteen years 
of age and the residents in the dis- 
trict given, who were: Luke Farns- 
'worth, Thomas Pollard, Reuben Hart- 
well, Abel Page, Oliver Blood, Na- 
thaniel Davis, Jacob Pollard, Rebec- 
ca Green, Walter Keyes, Joseph A. 
Gushing, Senieth Pierce, Benjamin 
Hall, Rodolphus Parker, Joseph Rich- 
ards, Henry Moody, Reuben M. Leigh- 
ton, Benjamin Hartwell, Lucy M. 
Richardson, John H. Hartwell, Benja- 
min Needham, Isaac Harriman, jr., 
Isaac Harriman, Phillip Gross, Abra- 
ham Stone, Ellen Brown, John M. 
Gilson, Asa Gilson, Asa S. Graves, 
John Hodgman, William Chase, Ephra- 
im Sawtell, Stedman Willard, Cur- 
tis Lawrence, Sumner Boynton, Sam- 
uel Stone, Betsey Stone, Alva Wright, 



Merritt Hale, Mrs. Pierce, Horace 
Patten, Nathaniel Sawtell* George 
Bessant. 

The enumerator evidently took the 
names in the order in which they 
occurred to him as they lived along 
the roads. Perhaps he made an ac- 
tual house to house canvass — most of 
them are in that order except at the 
end of the list where omissions were 
added. This list is selected as show- 
ing the names of many of the old 
families before the departure of the 
community people for the west. 

As one follows the record year by 
year, the changes are noticeable. Here 
the head of the family drops out by 
death or removal and a new owner of 
the estate takes his place with chil- 
dren as reported. 

These by-laws of 1838, like those 
of 1805 and 1827, defined the district 
limits, determined the date of the 
district meetings for the first week 
in March; that a clerk and prudential 
committee should be chosen; that 
clerk should take census of families 
and children; apportionment of town 
school money and duties of pruden- 
tial committee. Under these by-laws 
the district must also make ordinary 
repairs to the schoolhouses. Article 
VII of the school by-laws of 1838, 
read as follows: "The ordinary re- 
pairs of schoolhouses and all other 
incidental expenses of the schools 
shall be made and defrayed by the 
the prudential committee from the 
monies apportioned to their districts; 
but the rebuilding and more extensive 
repairs may by vote of the town, be 
paid from other monies raised." 

Under the district system the old 
schoolhouse had been permitted to go 
without repairs probably because the 
burden fell on the inhabitants of the 
district. A new building or an ad- 
dition would be erected at the ex- 
pense of the town at large, and so in 
the district meeting held on March 
5, 1856, it was voted: "To choose a 
committee to get an article in the 
warrant for the April meeting to see 
if the town will repair our school- 
house and furnish a new stove. Chose 
Nathan Gallott that committee." 

This was allowed by vote of the 
town and the bills for repairs appear 
in the town report of February 1857, 
showing that a new roof was placed 
upon it and new seats within it. 

It is without doubt then that the 



— 6 




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I»iiniel Xeeilliam. Isii-J — Is'j.l 



old hipped-roof was removed and the 
present style adopted, for there ap- 
pears an item for several thousand 
brick, which the new ends would re- 
quire and an examination of the 
house shows tho difference in the 
brick laying. About $400 was ex- 
pended at this time. 

The town of Groton has been favor- 
ed in having men and women on tho 
school board, who always had an in- 
tense interest in the advancement of 
learning. Among them may be men- 
tioned: Caleb Butler, Daniel Butler, 
Daniel Needham, George S. Doutwcll, 
Clarissa Butler, Willard Torrey, Wal- 
ter Shattuck, Samuel W. Rowe, David 
Fosdick, jr., Crawford Nightingale, J. 
Bigelow, Artemas Longley, Curtis 
Lawrence, William A. Lawrence, Jo- 
siah K. Bennett, Charles Jacobs, Reu- 
ben Lewis, and for the south part of 
the town, Edmund Dana Bancroft, Dr. 
John Q. A. .McCollester and John E. 
Hills. These and many others served 
the town long and faithfully. 

In the annual school reports, the 
committee sometimes give a tribute 
of appreciation to some successful 
teacher. 

This school was under the particu- 
lar care of some one member of the 
committee and for years Artemas 
Longley, who had been a teacher here, 
became its guide, councillor and 
friend, then Josiah K. Bennett, and 
more recently the late Charles Jacobs. 
Mr. Jacobs was a graduate of Har- 
vard college, class of 1853. He was 
a fine scholar, but as the pupils no- 
ticed, somewhat diffident in the pres- 
ence of ladies. He was never mar- 
ried and the scholars wrongly as- 
sumed that his visits to the school 
"were more for the teacher than to 
them. One innocent little girl made 
bold to say to him one day: "I love 
my teacher, don't you?" Mr. Jacobs 
was nonplused and murmured some 
reply, neither understood by the pu- 
pil or the teacher. 

One of the old scholars contributes 
the following as an incident in the 
school at this time: "Ipon the visit 
of a member of the committee one 
day, the class in spelling was called 
up. He gave out the word 'metemi)- 
sychosis." It was too formidable for 
us, and after repeated failures, my 
sister called out, 'You spell it.' He 
complied witli her re<|U('st in a way 



which impressed us all with his su- 
perior wisdom." 

Mr. Jacobs was always expected In 
the first week of school, and as one 
scholar has stated, always commenced 
his little speecli with: "Scholars, I 
congratulate you upon commencing 
the term under sucli favorable cir- 
cumstances." 

The auditors always looked for this 
preliminary speech and considered it 
as a compliment to the teacher. On 
one occasion, in particular, Mr. Ja- 
cobs, as chairman of the board, show- 
ed his grave responsibility by hia 
nervous introduction of Miss Clarissa 
Butler, a fellow member of the board, 
when her presence added dignity to 
the closing day of school. 

In 1854, George S. Boutwell, then 
secretary of the State Board of Edu- 
cation, was serving as chairman of 
the school committee of Groton, and 
makes the report for the committee. 
In the report he says: "We believe 
females could be employed all the 
year around to advantage." 

In the report of 1860-61, reference 
is made to the exodus of many at 
the "community" for Wisconsin as fol- 
lows: "Owing to the removal of sev- 
eral families from the district, the 
number of scholars was considerably 
less than in former years." 

In the report for 1872-3, the com- 
mittee was pleased to say: "This un- 
graded school is one of the largest 
in town and is made up of unusually 
bright and interesting children." 

In the 1874-5 report they say: "The 
good reputation of this scliool so nobly 
earned during the years 1873-4, has 
been more than sustained under the 
continued management of Mrs. Ellen 
M. Torrey throughout the year." They 
also commented on the attention paid 
to "mental, moral and physical edu- 
cation." 

The town reports from 1847 to 1860, 
show that the wages of the male 
teachers were about double that of 
the lady teachers for the spring torm, 
and after 1860, the lady received about 
two-thirds the amount paid the man 
teacher for the winter term, and then 
the lady sought to keep the winter 
school, and in 1870, a lady teacher, 
the year around, was an established 
custom, except In two instances, and 
tlien the continuance of a male teacli- 
or did not seem to be warranted. 



7 — 



In 1874, at the town meeting in 
March, a committee appointed in the 
previous year, reported a list of 
names to be given to the old district 
schools. That committee consisted of 
Rev. Henry Dix, John Gilson and J. 
Nelson Hoar, and when their report 
was finally accepted, District No. 2 
school became known as Moors school 
from the Moors family which had 
liv^ed for generations just below the 
schoolhouse on the "Junction" road. 
In some towns the spirit of the 
law of 1837, was closely observed as 
regards the school census which re- 
quired the taking of the number, but 
not the names of children of school 
age, and some went so far as to pre- 
pare registers of the names of schol- 
ars. The Acts of 1838, however, made 
it compulsory under Chapter 105: 
"Sect. 6. The board of education shall 
prescribe a blank form of register, to 
be kept in all the towns and dis- 
trict schools of the commonwealth, 
and the secretary of state shall for- 
ward a sufficient number of copies of 
the same to the school committees of 
the respective towns; and said com- 
mittees shall cause registers to be 
faithfully kept in all said schools ac- 
cording to the form prescribed. Act 
to take effect from and after its pass- 
ing, April 13, 1838." 

However compulsory the law may 
have been intended, it was followed 
the more "in the breach than in the 
observance" in Groton, and even if 
the teachers did keep the register 
faithfully, it seems that some one af- 
ter them kept the register so secure- 
ly that many of them are not to be 
found at the present time, and none 
have been found giving the record of 
school attendance previous to the 
year 1851. 

From these registers it is possible 
to complete a fairly accurate list of 
pupils except for a few missing years 
coming at the beginning or ending of 
a pupil's attendance. 

The canvass of names shows that an 
entire new set of scholars will be 
found every nine years, which indi- 
cates that at about the age of fifteen, 
the older ones pass on to higher 
schools, or have left school, or moved 
from town. 

The list of earlier pupils has been 
secured from a knowledge of the 
families living in the district, and 
from many interesting letters receiv- 



ed from representatives of such fam- 
ilies. This portion of the list of pu- 
pils is by no means complete. It 
shows only some of the pupils previ- 
ous to 1851. That part beginning 
with 1851, is fairly complete and gives 
the earliest and latest known dates of 
school attendance. The initials, G. 
A., L. A. and H. S., followed by a 
date, signify a scholar's first enroll- 
ment at the academy or high school 
at Groton, In the earlier years many 
appear as beginning at three, four 
and five years of age, and a very 
few as in school when they were of 
age, the latter mostly in the winter 
term. 

It must be borne in mind that 
many of the boys had to work every 
spring and summer, and they let no 
opportunity pass for recovering the 
lost ground. It is possible that the 
names of some who attended in the 
years in which the registers are miss- 
ing, may not appear at all. 

For the first portion of the list of 
scholars, the years of enrollment giv- 
en is based on a probable attendance 
at the age of five years. 

Partial list of pupils previous to 
1851, is as follows: 

Bartemus, Anna, 1849-51. 

Baldwin, Charles B., 1836. 

Brennan, Walter, 1849-51. 

Burgess, Louisa, 1815. 

Chase, William A., 1836. 

Culver, Nathan F., 1844-45. 

Cushing, Susan, 1848. 

Cushing. Harriet, 1844. 

Davis, Betsey, 1798, G. A. 1804. 

Davis, Lucy, 1798, G. A. 1803. 

Dickson, Philip D., 1838-43, G. A. 1839. 

Diclison, Henry A., 1842. 

Dickson, Walter E., 1838-43. 

Dickson, Almira A., 1838-43, G. A. 1841. 

Dickson, Mary E., 1838-43, G. A. 1841. 

Dickson, Caroline S., 1850, L. A. 1864. 

Doltd, Mary Ann, 1838-42. 

Doltd, John Carroll, 1838-42. 

Dunn, Mary Jane, 1849-51. 

Parnsworth, Elizabeth, 1797, G. A. 1804. 

Farnsworth, Claudius B., 1820, G. A. 

1824. 
Parnsworth, Luke, 1790, G. A. 1795. 
Parnsworth, Mary, 1835-45, G. A. 1845. 
Parnsworth, Amos, 1797, G. A. 1800. 
Farnsworth, Ralph, 1800, G. A. 1805, 

H. U. 1821, Dart. M. S. 1826. 
Frost, Ebenezer H., 1830, G. A. 1839. 
Frost. Samuel Bailey, 1835. 
Frost, Solomon Gilman, 1836, G. A. 1843. 
Frost, Sarah Young, 1839, L. A. 1846. 
Evans, Harrison D., 1844. 
Evans, Eugene, 1844. 
Hazen. Hattie. 1849-51. 
Hazen, Eveline, 1849-51. 
Haven, Albert. 1849-51. 
Hildreth, Francis, 1838. 
Hildreth, John P., 1841-51. 



— 8- 




Ciili'l) Hiitli'r. 17T<l-ls:.4. 




l»r. .1. <,>. A. ,M.( olk-t.r. ivii i!tll. 




>;n. 1(1. ii(i<igiiiim riiicf, 




No. 33. Amos Fiiniswdrtli Jlonie. 



Hildreth. Wllllain, 1842. 
Hopkins, Ebenezer, 1804. G. A. 1808. 
Hopkins. Jeduthan S.. 1805. G. A. 1809. 
Hopkins, Dorcas. ISIO. G. A. 1815. 
Hod^man, Nancy W., 1845, L. A. 1849. 
Hodg'nian, John K.. 1845. 
Hubbard, lOllza, 1836. G. A. 1837. 
llubUard, Calvin Patterson. 1836, G. A. 

1838. 
Hazen, Martha A., 1845. 
Hazen. Elizabeth, 1841. 
Hazon, Benjamin F., 1843. L. A. 1859. 
Hazen, William H., 1845. 
Gallot. Sarah E., 1S30. 
.lones, Mary, 1849-51. 
Keycs. William L., 1851. 
Liund, Emma, 1849-51. 
Lawrence, Curtis, 1804, L. A. 1813. 
Lawrence, Edward A., 1818. G. A. 1836. 
Lawrence, Eliza, 1806, G. A. 1813. 
Lawrence, Lucy, 1801. 

Lawrence, Lucy Maria, 1830. G. A. 1837. 
Lawrence, Mary W.. 1839. G. A. 184U. 
Lawrence, Susan P., 1833, G. A. 1840. 
Lawrence. Susan, 1799, G. A. 1812. 
Lawrence, Thomas, 1797. 
Mason, Martha E.. 1850. L. A. 1851. 
Moors, James, 1788. 
Moors. Benjamin, 1790, G. A. 1800. 
Moors, John F., 1825. G. A. 1830. 
Moors, Joseph B.. 1833, G. A. 1842. 
Newell. Albert, 1841. 
Oliver, Nancy, 1849-51. 
Pollard. Alfred, 1836, G. A. 1837. 
Pollard. Luther, 1836. 
Pollard, Thomas, 1833, G. A. 1837. 
Pollard. Walter. 1836, G. A. 1837. 
Pollard. Albert. 
Pollard, Lucy, 1830. 
Pollard, Mary J., 1833, G. A. 1839. 
Pollard, Sarah A., 1839, G. A. 1845. 
Pollard. Asnes B., 1840, L. A. 1847. 
Pollard, Lousia F., 1835, G. A. 1840. 
Pollard, Warren. 

Pollard, Bet.sey D., 1820, G. A. 1827. 
Pollard. Luther, 1849-51. 
Page. Nelson, 1836. 
F'aKe. Mary Jane. 1838. 
Shattuck, M. Adelaide. 1846. 
Stone. Sophia, 1820. 
Stone, Emily, 1820. 
Stone. Abel, 1820. 
Stone, Sherman, 1820. 
Stone, Sallv, 1780. 
Stone, Lydia, 1783. 
Stone, Lucy, 1787. 
Stone, Levi, 1789. 
Stone, Betsey, 1791. 
Stone, James F., 1793, G. A. 1809. 
Stone, John, 1797. 
Stone, Samuel, 1802. 
Stone, James Franklin. 1823. 
Stone, Harriot E., 1824. G. A. 1837. 
Stone. Anna Maria. 1827, G. A. 1838. 
Stone. John W^, 1829. 

Stone. James Franklin, 1831, G. A. 1840. 
Stone, I.,evi Augustus. 1834. 
Stone, Henry L.. 1836, L. A. 1850. 
Stone. Valancourt. 1834, G. A. 1843. 
Stone. Maria. 1849-51. 
Sawtell, Nathaniel, 1803. G. A. 1813. 
Sawtoll, Ephraim. 1803, G, A. 1813. 
Tucker. Josephine. 1849-51. 
Wallace. William. 1849-51. 
Wlllard, Alfred, 1845-51. 
Wlllard. M. Almeda, 1S45, G. A. 1845. 
Wlllard. Almn, 1845, G. A. 1845. 



One branch of the Farnswortli fam- 
ily in the early history of Grotoii lived 
on the east road Iroiu Groton to 
Ayer and as oarly as 1«J70, it Is re- 
corded that .Matthias Farnswortli lived 
there just south of James brcjok. In 
18:'.G, a Mathias Faiiiswortli sold his 
farm to Nathaniel and lOphraiui Saw- 
tell and they deeded it in the next 
year to John HodRman of Hedford. 
While this is not exactly school his- 
tory, it is interesting as showing 
when the Hodginan family came to 
Groton. 

Reuben Ilartwell once told Asa Bur- 
gess tiiat .Matthias Farnsworth went 
to Michigan and took with him a 
whole barrel of boots of .Mr. Hart- 
well's making. 

Major Amos Farnsworth lived at 
the present Joy farm during the rev- 
olutionary period and marched to 
Concord and Lexington. He died on 
October 29, 1847, aged ninety-three. 
His sons and daughters were pupils 
at old No. 2 school. There was Dr. 
Ralph Farnsworth born in 179.'), who 
graduated at Harvard in the class of 
1821, and at Dartmouth medical 
school in 182G, lived for many years 
in Norwich, Conn., and died tiiere on 
July 16, 1875. Another son, Dr. Amos 
Farnsworth, was born in 178S. attend- 
ed school here and at Groton acad- 
emy, served as surgeon in the F'ourth 
Massachusetts infantry in the war of 
1812. He practised his profession in 
Boston, and after 1832, in Groton. and 
died in Roxbury in 1861. Elizabeth 
Farnsworth, a daughter, was born on 
October 19, 1792, and died in Groton 
Center on February 2, 1884. 

Like her brother, she attended the 
district school and academy. She 
was a woman of great mental capaci- 
ty and of rare personality. 

I^uke Farnsworth. born In October, 
1785, a brother of the preceding, lived 
on the old homestead from youth up, 
except for a brief period spent in 
Canada. He lived to be over ninety. His 
sons and daughters wore scholars at the 
district school. Hon. Claudius lUichan- 
an Farnsworth, who lived for many 
years at Pawtucket, R. I., was the 
eldest son of Luke and Sarah (Hart- 
well) Farnsworth, and was born in 
Canada, January 8, 1815. His boy- 
hood days were passed on the farm 
in Groton, and he attended the town 
schools until he was fourteen. He 



fitted for college at New Ipswich and 
Groton academies, and graduated at 
Harvard college in the class of 1841. 
He afterwards engaged in the prac- 
tice of the law and later in manufac- 
turing. 

George H. Farnsworth, a pupil in 
1851, was another son of Luke, and 
enlisted for the war of the rebellion 
in Company B, Massachusetts Sixth 
Regiment, and died several years ago. 
There were several Farnsworth girls 
who attended school in the years af- 
ter 1850. 

The Pollard family was one of the 
largest in the district and the boys 
and girls all attended school here. 
Jacob Pollard was born in Goffstown, 
N. H., and early in life came to 
Groton. He married. May 7, 1812, 
Betsey Davis, who was born in Gro- 
ton, the daughter of David Davis. They 
lived on the farm of Mrs. Pollard's 
parents, and members of the Pollard 
family resided here for more than 
fifty years after 1828, when one-half 
interest in the farm was deeded to 
Jacob Pollard. 

Solomon Frost, who lived at the 
top of the long hill above the school 
had married Dorcas Hopkins, and 
there were three boys and a girl, 
pupils in the early period— Samuel 
Bailey, Solomon Gilman, Ebenezer Hop- 
kins and Sarah Young. Samuel died 
when twenty, Solomon Gilman remov- 
ed to Fitchburg, Sarah was the fourth 
of the five wives of Dr. Norman Smith. 
Ebenezer Hopkins Frost had the dis- 
tinction when living in Boston of be- 
ing the first patient of Dr. Morton, 
the discoverer of ether, to be etherized 
for a surgical operation. All these, 
as children, attended the district 
school and Groton academy. 

There was a kinship between the 
Stanley, Hopkins and Frost families 
all living on the hill in the early 
part of the last century. Jeduthan 
and Dorcas Stanley had a daughter 
Dorcas, who married Ebenezer Hop- 
kins, and Ebenezer and Dorcas Hop- 
kins had a daughter Dorcas, who mar- 
ried Solomon Frost, and they were 
the parents of the children above 
mentioned. 

The widow Hopkins died in 1840, 
and the place was sold in February, 
1843, by Mr. and Mrs. Frost to Jo- 
seph Foye. Mr. Frost died in March 
of the same year and the widow and 



children went to live with Aunt Nab- 
by Stanley in the next house towards 
Groton, from which home Sarah was 
married. After the death of Aunt 
Nabby, February 22, 1863, the place 
was sold in April, by Mrs. Dorcas 
Frost, then living at Fitchburg, where 
she died in 1881. 

The Levi Hildreth family came into 
the district about 1840, and at about 
this time there were several Hildreth 
children in the school. 

One of these, John P. Hildreth, of 
Townsend, states that when he first 
attended school here, his family lived 
at a place called "The Dale," which 
is another place name to be edded to 
the localities in Ayer. It applies to 
that part of the James Brook valley 
which lies now in Ayer, just below the 
old Reuben Hartwell farm, where the 
Hildreths lived. The term savors of 
old England and may have been given 
it by some settler who wished to per- 
petuate the name in some beautiful 
locality in America. 

List of names of pupils at District 
No. 2 school, taken with few excep- 
tions from the registers: 

Achorn, Lizzie B., 1865-69. 

Achorn, Minnie L., 1865-77'. 

Acliorn, Albert W., 1868-75. 

Achorn, Robert E., 1865-70. 

Adams, Martlia J., 1851. 

Adams, Thomas E., 1851. 

Adams, Almond, 1851. 

Adams, Luther, 1851. 

Ames, Amos L., 1868-72. 

Andrew, Jessie M., 1894-96. 

Barry, Edward, 1860. 

Barry, James, 1859-60. 

Bartemus, George H., 1857. 

Barry, Mary, 1854. 

Berquist, Lawrence, 1904-10. 

Berquist, Irene, 1905-07. 

Berquist, Grant T., 1908-10. 

Berquist, Oscar W., 1890-93. 

Berquist, George W., 1890-94. 

Bessant, Luther, 1866. 

Bessant, Margaret, 1857-61. 

Beard, Charles, 1862. 

Bigelow, Marjorie, 1900-01. 

Bibby. William T., 1884-86. 

Black, Donald D., 1884. 

Bliss, Charles P., 1880-81. 

Bishop, Flora E., 1880-81, L. A. 1886. 

Bishop, Athella, 1877, L. A. 1879. 

Bishop, Nellie, 1880-81. 

Bishop, Sylvia, 1880-81. 

Blood, George D., 1852. 

Blood, Andrew, 1853-59. 

I'>lood, John, 1853-59. 

Blood. Roxanna, 1853-57. 

Blood, Charles, 1853-59. 

Blood, Nancy M., 1853. 

Blood, Frank, 1854-59. 

Blood, Olive, 1853-55. 

Blood, Maria M., 1855. 

Blood, Henry, 1859-60. 

Blood, Eliza. 1856. 



10 




N... :'.t. r.)ll,inl llniiM' 




No. .".0. lloiiM' .>( tllf I5i^; i;."'l. 




N<i. 41. The Heiijaniin Hall I'lace. lUinied Ffli. lo. isiil. 




.\... i;.. (;aii(.t iioiix' 



Blood, Charles N.. 1904-06. Dickinson. Joseph n.. 1868-75. L. A. 

Billings, Henry A., 1855. 1879. 

Billings, lOllzabeth L.. 1856. DlcklnHon. Helon S.. 1S6S-76, L. A. 1880. 

Bowles, Howard J., 1902-OG. I )|fkltiaon. Mabol C. 1896-04. 

Bowels, Dorothy L., 1902-05. DIckerman, Doris G.. 1909-10. 

Hond, Alice, 1860-64. Dlck-son, Katy M.. 1873-74. 

Bond. Ella V.. 1860-68. Dibble. Jo<'. 1869-70. 

Urown. Daniel, 1851-56. Donahue, Daniel, 1869-73. 

Brown. William, 1851-57. Dunaluic, Nellie, 1868-76. 

Brown, .Jane, 1851-54. Donahue, MarKaret, 1868-70. 

Brown, Catherine, 1851-57. Donahue, Thomas. 1872-75. 

Brown, George, 1851. Donahue, Alice, 1880-80. 

Brown, John, 1851. Donahue, James, 1881-84. 

Burgess, Ellen M.. 1852-53. Donahue, John, 1874-82, 

Burgess, Hattle, 1876. Donahue, Su.sle, 1882-90. 

Butler, Ella G., 1861. Donl.in. Michael, 1851-53. 

Brennan, Francis M., 1854. Donlon, Patrick, 1851-53. 

iioothboy, Fannie, 1877. Drake. Alden W., 1887. 

Carruth, -Mberta, 1876. Dragon, Olive, 1888. 

Carrig, John, 1S6S. Dorrily. Patrick, 1853. 

Carrlg, Lizzie, 1868. Dulton. Julius C, 1855. 

Carrig, Margaret, 1868. Dot ton, George. 1855. 

Careton, George S., 1884. Dutlon, f)rniand N., 1855. 

Chase. George S., 1853-64. Dulton. Mary E., 1855. 

Chase, Walter, 1863-68, L. A. 1876. DulTy, John C, 1886. 

Chase. Maria F., 1859-68, L. A. 1871. Duffv, Annie H., 1886. 

Chase. Fannie S., 1863. Duren, Mary J.. 1851-52. 

Chase, Mary E., 1853-64. Duren, George B., 1852. 

(^hase, Sarah F., 1857-61. Duren, Charles, 1852-60. 

Carney, Mary A.. 1857-59. Dyboll, Edward, 1910. 

Carney, Katherlne. 1857-59. Dyboll, Albert. 1910. 

trhisholm. Flora E., 1910. Dunham, Etta, 1868-70. 

Clapp, Austin W., 1891. Doroughty, Willie. 1872-73. 

Clough, Warren A., 1889-95. T.. A. 1897'. l^.aton, Walter. 1886-87. 

Clough. Marion D., 1891-99. L. A. 1897. Eaton, Lamont R., 1886-87. 

Chesborough. Charles C, 1894. Farnsworth, I-^lizaheth H.. 1851-60. 

Chosborough, Samuel, 1887. Farnsworth, Sarah A.. 1851-63. 

Chesborough, Walter A.. 1887-94. Farnsworth, George H., 1S51-63, D. A. 

Campbell. Katherine, 1852. 1861. 

Campbell, Harriet, 1852. Farnsworth, Ellis, 1851-55. 

Corey, John H.. 1852-53. Farnsworth, Mary J.. 1853-64. 

Condon. C, 1856. Farnsworth, Sarah E., 185.1-57. 

Condon, J., 1856. Farnsworth, Anna, 1853. 

Condon. W., 1856. Farnsworth, John, 1855. 

Corey, Lucy, 1862. Farnsworth. Isabelle. 1856. 

Culoon, Frank. 1855. Farnsworth, Elizabeth, 1861-63. 

Culoon. Edward L.. 1855. Farnsworth, George W., 1903-08. 

(^uloon, Susanna, 1855. Farnsworth, Lydia G.. 1903-09. 

Croney. James, 1851-51. Farnsworth. Edith H.. 1904-09. 

("ulver, James F.. 1868-69. Farnsworth, Mildred E., 1909-10. 

(^ulver, George. 1869-70. Felch, Ell, 1854. 

Culver. Charlotte F.. 1868-76, L. A. 1877. Ferrln. Abbie, 1863-64. 

Culver, Alice I., 1870-72, L. A. 1880. Ferrln, Mary, 1863-64. 

Culver, Grace A., 1875-81, L. A. 1883. Ferrln, Edward C. 1863-64. 

Culver, Herbert G., 1883-89. Ferrln, B. J., 1864. 

Culver, Walter J., 1882-90. FItts. George B.. 1857. 

Culver. Addle E., 1885-89. Fitts, Eugenia, 1860. 

Culver, Ethel E., 1885-86. Felch, Edward P., 1887. 

Culver, Ralph F.. 1886-91. Fitzgerald, Florence, 1895. 

Culver, John H., 1891-00. Folklns, Florence J., 1899-07. 

Culver, Pauline M., 1889-96. Fox, Halburton, 1883-84. 

Culver, Roy A., 1896-07. Ford, George. 1860. L. A. 1864. 

Cashing, Joseph M., 1857. French, Samuel P., 1870-72. 

Cushing, Anna H.. 1857-69. Fuller. Hattle W.. 1881-83. 

Cutts, Florence, 1870-72. Fuller, Frank, 1864. 

Cutts, WInfleld, 1870-73. Gaut, Nellie A., 1869-73. L. A. 1871. 

Collins. Nellie M., 1875-76. Gaut. Franklin S.. 1S69-73. L. A. 1876. 

Davis. Ruth, 1900-07. Gllson, Fannie E.. 1861-66. 

Davl.s, Carrie F., 1900-07. Gllson. William B., 1861-57. 

Davis. Harry E., 1906-10. Gllson, Lucv E., 1861-61. 

Davis, Alice M., 1909-10. Gllson. Mary E., 1861-60. 

Delano. Ida May, 1900. Gllson. Henry A.. 1S51-67. 

Delano. Ada F., 1900. Gllson. (Jeorge H., 1851-fi2. 

Denahy, Michael J., 1894-05. Gllson. Franklin E.. lsn:-C9. L. A. 1870. 

Denahy, Jerry L., 1894-95. Gllson, 1,111a A., IS.ig-np. 

Denahy, Catherine, 1895. Gllson, Sumner. 1863-64. 

DIrkinson. Henrietta, 1869-70. Gllson, Henry H., 1870-81. 

Dickinson. Robert C. 1859-63, L. A. 186G. Gllson. Susie. 1886. 

Dickinson, Edward D., 1859-64, L. A. Gllson, Earl W.. 1891-99. 

1860-63. Gllson, Charlotte V., 1899-00. 

— 11 — 



Gllson. Mildred E., 1901-05. 

Gilson, Cyril W. B., 1903-10. 

Gllson. Robina, 1905. 

Goding, John W., 1874-78. A. H. S. 1883. 

Goding-, T. Edgar, 1884-88. 

Goding, T. Arthur, 1874-76. 

Gill. William H., 1857-59. 

Gill. Jane E., 1857. 

Gilson. William M.. 1851-55. 

Graves. Joseph, 1856-64, L. A. 1865. 

Graves, Benjamin F., 1857, L. A. 1862. 

Graves, Samuel L., 1857, L. A. 1860. 

Graves, Henry G., 1857, L. A. 1863. 

Graves, Ellen, 1862-70. 

Graves, Susie, 1870-80. 

Graves, Fred, 1875-82, A. H. S. 1886. 

Graves, Lizzie, 1874-82. 

Graves, Mabel, 1881-90. 

Gove, Everett (Everhard), 1881. 

Gove, Clarence, 1881. 

Gove, Henry, 1881. 

Goodwin, Mabel E., 1884-86. 

Goodwin, Harry P., 1884. 

Giddings. Eugene, 1889. 

Giddings, Isabella A., 1895-96. 

Grimes, Delia B., 1890-91. 

Grimes, Andrew J., 1890-91. 

Gerry, Cyril, 1906-08. 

Gray, Katie 1862-69. 

Gould, John, 1862. 

Gould, Opphia J.. 1851, L. A. 1852. 

Hackett, Mary A., 1860-64. 

Hackett, Ellen, 1860-64. 

Hackett, Michael, 1860. 

Hackett, John, 1861-69. 

Hackett, Willie. 1862-74. 

Hackett, Kate, 1862-72. 

Hackett, James. 1869-75, L. A. 1879. 

Hackett. Mary A., 1882-84. 

Hart. James, 1859. 

Hart, John, 1859. 

Hartwell, John S., 1851-55. 

Hartwell, Nathaniel C, 1851-55. 

Hartwell. Harris C, 1859, L. A. 1863. 

Hartwell, Benjamin H., 1859, L. A. 1863, 

Hartwell. Samuel N., 1859-60. 

Hartwell, Lottie E., 1859-64, L. A. 1865. 

Hazen, Thomas L., 1853. 

Hazen, Caroline B., 1862. 

Hazen, Louisa C. 1859-62. 

Hazen. Emily P., 1859-62. 

Haley, Henry, 1861. 

Haley, Jeremiah, 1856. 

Hart, Lizzie, 1862. 

Hennigan, Mary, 1870-76. 

Hennigan, Kate, 1870-76, L. A. 1881. 

Hennigan, Ellen, 1870-80. 

Hennigan, John T., 1872-80, L. A. 1883. 

Hamlet. William, 1872. 

Hamlet, Fred, 1872. 

Hamlet, Eddie, 1872. 

Harris, Elinor, 1884. 

Harris, Lizzie, 1884. 

Harris, George C, 1884. 

Harris, Benjamin. 1884. 

Harris, Elmer L., 1904. 

Harris, Everett E., 1904. 

Harris, Viola K., 1909-10. 

Harriman, Elizabeth, 1856-57. 

Harriman, Augustus B., 1903-10. 

Harriman, Gordon F., 1908. 

Hart, John, 1900-07. 

Hannis, Annie M., 1880, L. A. 1880. 

Higgins, Albertina, 1865-70. 

Hills, Minerva C. 1870-75. 

Hills, Mary A., 1870-75. 

Hodgman, Nancy Hannah, 1851-53. 

Hodgman, George H., 1851-59. 

Hodgman, Harriet W., 1851. 



Hodgman, Lucilla H., 1852-53, L. A. 1854. 
Hodgman, George E.. 1851-54. 
Houghton, Charles, 1851. 
Harlow, Esteane, 1889. 
Holbrook, Eunice, 1900-01. 
Huebner, Thekla V.. 1896-04. 
Huebner, Leonita, 1899-07. 
Huebner, Reginald, S.. 1902-08. 
Huebner, Herman E., 1894-01, L. A. 

1902. 
Huebnor, Nimie, 1894-99. 
Hulen, George, 1894-95. 
Hulen, Bertrand, 1894-95. 
Hurley, Mary, 1902. 
Haskins. Araminta, 1872. 
Jones, John H., 1884. 
Jewett, Fred R., 1888-90. 
Jewett, Annie M., 1888-91. 
Jewett, Mabel M., 1890. 
Jewett, Maud A., 1905-07. 
Jewett, Harold E., 1905-07. 
John.-^on. Charles K., 1901. 
Kane, John, 1854-55. 
Kendall, Eliza A.. 1861-62. 
Kendall, George. 1861. 
Keyes, L. Lizzie, 1864-69, L. A. 1871. 
Keating, Susie E., 1880-84, A. H. S. 

1SS9, Bridgewater Normal. 
Keating, Mary J., 1880-90, G. H. S., 

Bridgewater Normal. 
Keating, Charles D., 1880-89. 
Keating. John F., 1880-86. 
Keating, George H., 1880-84. 
Keating, Lillie, 1884-90. 
Keating, Helen L., 1886-95, G. H. S. 
ICeating, Charlotte, 1891-99, G. H. S. 
Keegan, Nancy. 1905-09. 
Keegan, Catherine I., 1905-09. 
Keegan, Joseph O., 1905-09. 
Keegan, Jeremiah F., 1905-09. 
Lunt. Emily W., 1851. 
Long, M. A., 1856. 
Long, James, 1856. 
Long. Mary E., 1888. 
Long, Michael, 1888-89. 
Lamont. Mary A., 1888-91. 
Levers, Stenie J., 1868-69. 
Leighton, Mary A., 1859. 
Leighton, Calvin D., 1859. 
Lawrence, Billie, 1864. 
Lawrence, Horace, 1864. 
Livingston, Anna, 1867-69. 
Livingston, Joseph W., 1864-69. 
Livingston. Charles. 1867-69. 
Legnard, Grace, 1880-82. 
Lcathe. Emma T., 1880. 
Lewis, Joseph, D., 1882-91, L. A. 1891. 
Lewis, Alfred G., 1888-94. 
Lund, Evangeline, 1905-07. 
Lyons, Daniel, 1872-73. 
Lyons, John, 1872-73. 
Magoon, Oscar L., 1871-72. 
Mandigo, Jessie H., 1902. 
Mandigo, Henry J., 1902. 
Marcy, Arline, 1875. 
Mason, Jo.seph C. 1851, L. A. 1854. 
Mason, Alfred D.. 1875-76, L. A. 1877. 
Mason, Clara C, 1875-76. 
Mayo, Merle R., 1887-89. 
May. Edith H.. 1881. 
May, Alonzo F., 1880-84. 
May. Edward H., 1880. 
Marble, Carrie E., 1883-84. 
Maxwell. William T., 1880. 
McConlouge, Francis, 1863. 
McConlouge, Mary, 1863. 
McConlouge, Thomas, 1863. 
McCarthy. John, 1S75-76. 
McDermott, George, 1863. 



12 



McDonald, Thomas, 1874. 

McGovern, Thomas W., 1907-09. 

McGovern, Nellie M.. 1907-09. 

McGovern. T.izzle C, 1907-09. 

Messer, Walter. 1854. 

Messer, Kmnia. 1S61-64, I.,. A. 1865. 

Messer, Georfro Fred, 1861-64. 

Messer, Abbott M., 1862. 

Messer, Maud, lSSO-82. 

Messer, Mary C. 1882. 

McDonald. Thomas F., 1883. 

Messer, Jane, 1905. 

Messer, Genevieve, 1905. 

Miller, Henry W., 1908-10. 

Miller. Delvina, 1908-10. 

Miller, Lewis E., 1908-10. 

Miller, Rowell. 1908-10. 

Miller, Irene, 1909-10. 

McNerny, Thomas, 1886. 

McNerny. Kate, 1886. 

Moors, Mary F.. 1S51-55, I.. A. 1853. 

Moors, Klizabeth A.. 1851-59. 

Moors, Fanny F., 1852-56. 

Moors. Lucy, 1854-55. 

Monroe. Charles L., 1854. 

ilonroe, Peter F., 1854. 

Morrison, Christine, M.. 1899. 

Moulton, Adelia, 1862-68. 

Moulton, Harry E., 1875. 

Moulton, Wilson N., 1861-64. 

Munster. William. 1908. 

Murray, James, 1854. 

Needham, Elmer. 1S59. 

Newman. Charles, 1860-63. L. A. 1866. 

Newton, IJzzie M.. 1S64. 

Newton. William H., 1864. 

Newton, 1864. 

Nimmo, I'hilip, 1890-91. 

Nimmo. Donald C, 1902-04. 

Northrup. Hertha. 1902-03. 

Nowill, Herbert, 1910. 

O'Day. Michael. 1851. 

Ober, Jessie, 1880-81. 

Ober, J. Frank, 1880-82. 

O'Brien. Nellie, S.. 1880-81. 

O'Connell. Josephine C, 1908-10. 

Oliver, Rachel M.. 1S56. 

O'Veil, Michael, 1857-61. 

O-Neill. Thomas. 1870-72. 

O-Neil, Edward, 1870-72. 

Otis, George A., 1855. 

Otis. Lucy R., 1855. 

Otis, Samuel, 1855. 

Otis. Harrison G.. 1855. 

Page, Abel Dexter, 1851-52. 

Page, Luther. 1851-55. 

Parker. Josephine M., 1851-52. 

T'age. Edward C. 1881-89, L. A. 1894. 

Parker, Luther L., 1854. 

Parker, Augustus P.. 1854. 

Parker. Svbil D., 1858-59. 

Pate, Mary A.. 1864. 

Pate. James, 1907-08. 

Patten. Francis. 1859. 

Patten, Simon. 1858. 

Palmer, Ernest R., 1910. 

Palmer. Randolph. 1910. 

Palmer. Lloyd, 1910. 

rvarson. Stephen C. 1853. 

Pike. Willie. 1868. 

Pollard, Mary J., 1851-62. 

Pollnrd. Florence M., 1S53-6L 

Pollard. Franklin H.. 1857-62. 

Powell. Mary C, 1895-01. 

Powell. Charles A.. 1895-01. 

Powell, George E.. 1895-01. 

Powell, John B., 1896-01. 

Proctor, Anna M.. 1855-57. 

Proctor, Sanford P., 1855-62. 



Renders, Nellie, 1877-78. 

Uand. William. 1869-70. 

Rand, Winnie, 1869-70. 

Rand. Albert W., 1871. 

Raymond, Albert C. S.. 1891. 

Richardson, Joseph H., 1853. 

Richardson, Mary E.. 1856-59, L. A. 

1858. 
Richardson, Rufua B., 1856--59. L. A. 

186.-'., Yale 1869. 
Richardson, Alfred A., 1856-59. 
Richardson. Charles H.. 1864. L. A. 1876, 

Andover 1875, Yale 1880. 
Richardson, Edward A.. 1864-75, L. A. 

1875, Yale. 
Richardson, Edith H„ 1880-84. A. H. S. 

1892. 
Richardson, Arthur B., 1877-84. L. A. 

1883 
Richardson, Francis J., 1877-84, A. H. 

S 1892 
Richardson, Bertha C, 1882-86. 
Richardson, Florence J.. 1877-78. 
Richards, L J., 1864. 
Rice. Stella R., 1890-91. 
Reardon. John D.. 1891-96. 
Roblnsqn, Luther A., 1869-70. 
Robinson, Mary F., 1874. 
Robinson, Ida F., 1873-75. 
Robinson, CJeorge H., 1871-75. 
Robbins. Eflle M., 1891-94. 
Robbins, Charles E., 1891-94. 
Robbins, Frances J., 1891-94. 
Robbins, Leon R.. 1891-94. 
Robbins, Louisa L... 1894. 
Roots, Nelson H., 1871-74. 
Roots, Alice E.. 1874. 
Roots. Annie M., 1872-74. 
Russell. Artemas, 1873. 
Russell, George C. 1884-90, A. H. S. 

1896. 
Reardon. (^hristopher P., 1895. 
Rynn, Thomas, 1864-76. 
Rynn. William. 1864-76. 
Rynn, Nellie M., 1868-76. 
Rynn. Annie T. 1876-81. 
Rowell. Almond, 1868. 
Sargent, Harold H., 1902-07, G. H. S. 
Sargent. Arollne H., 1905-09. 
Sargent. David P.. 1907-10. 
Sargent. Ralph. 1907-10. 
Sargent, Esther, 1909. 
Sargent. Stella C. 1910. 
Sargent, Joseph H^, 1887-98. 
Sawtell, Mary F., 1851-60. 
Scanlon, Susan, 1870-72. 
Scanlon. Charlotte F.. 1870-76. 
Scanlon. Thomas. 1871-76. 
Scanlon, John, 1872. 
Saunders. Ansel, 1861-64. 
Searles. Emma, 1868-70. 
Sawyer, Alice E.. 1882-84. 
Scott. Blanche A.. 1898-99. 
Scott. Eva M.. 1898-03. 
Scott. Bertha R.. 1898-01. 
Scott, George W., 1898-03. 
Scott. Bernard A.. 1900-05. 
Scott, <\irrle B.. 1902-08. 
Scott, Raymond E.. 1904-OS. 
Scott. Stephen A.. 1905-07. 
Scott. Everett W.. 190S. 
Singer, Blanche. 1906. 
SIvret, Helen T.. 1S99. 
SIvret. Marion E.. 1S99-0O. 
SIvret. Harold F.. 1900 
Shnrbono. Fred. 1906-OS. 
Sharbono, Perley W.. 1908. 
Scanlon. Joseph H.. 1900. 
Smale, Oswald, 1900. 



— 13 — 



Smith, Charles, 1868-69. 

Smith, Albert C, 1887-88. 

Smith, Georg-e Gilman, 1887-91, G. H. S. 

Smith, Lawrence B., 1887-91, G. H. S. 

Smith. Edward C., 1887-91, L. A. 1897. 

Smith, Francis W., 1889-96, L. A. 1900. 

Smith, Theophilus G., 1894-99, L. A. 

1901. 
Smith, Franklin O., 1899. 
Sparks, Klla E., 1868-69. 
Sparks, Hattie H., 1868-69. 
Sparks. Levi, 1868. 
Sparks, Malcolm C, 1868-69. 
Stewart, Carrie, 1869-70. 
Stewart, Luella, 1869-70. 
Stewart, Flora, 1869. 
Stewart, Hiram, 1869, L. A. 1871. 
Stone, Loui.sa E., 18.51-59. 
Stone, George H.. 1851-61. 
Stone, William H., 1851-64. 
Stone. Mary A., 1851-53. 
Stone, Martha E., 1851-53. 
Stone, Ward L., 1851-53. 
Stone, Albert, 1851. 
Stone, Emma L., 1852-64. 
Stone, J. F., 1856-57. 
Stone, Mary F., 1870-81. 
Stone, Jennie C, 1867-78. 
Stone, Fannie E.. 1870-83. 
Stone, Clara L., 1875-82. 
Stone, H. Austin, 1874-80. 
Stone, Abbie H., 1883-91. 
Swan, Emory C, 1884. 
Taylor, Fannie E., 1886-94. 
Taylor, Herbert W^.. 1886-94. 
Thatcher, Michael, 1856. 
Tibbetts, Georgianna, 1874-75. 
Tibbetts, .Jennie, 1874-75. 
Torrey, Linnie W., 1874-76, L. A. 1882. 
Tuttle, Lena, 1869-80, L. A. ISSO. 
Tuttle, Arthur C, 1869-78. 
Tuttle, Cora F., 1874-83. 
Tuttle, Frank F., 1883-87. 
Tuttle, I-ouisa E., 1873-76. 
Tuttle, Clarence A., 1890-99, L. A. 1900. 
Tuttle, Howard G., 1892-00. 
Tuttle. Lillian G., 1900-08. G. H. S. 

1911. 
Turner, Helen M., 1872-75. 
Twitchell, Mabel A., 1900-01. 
Twitchell, Harry A., 1900-01. 
Waitt, Ellsworth, 1864. 
Waitt, Lizzie E., 1860-64, G. H. S. 
Waitt. Charles H., 1869-78, L. A. 1879. 
Waitt, Georg-e E., 1872-80. 
Watson, Charles H., 1879, L. A. 1880. 
Watson, Mary A., 1880-82, L. A. 1882. 
Watson, Sarah L., 1880-83. 
Watson, Edwin F., 1884. 
Weber, Eleanor May, 1897-00, A. H. S. 

1907. 
Weber, Marion L., 1897-03. 
Walden, William H., 1851. 
Wheeler, Sarah A.. 1852. 
Wheeler, Eva R., 1898-00. 
Wheeler, Hazel, 1899-00. 
Whalen, Margaret, 1899. 
Whittaker, Laura A., 1880-82. 
Whittaker, Minnie. 1882. 
Whitney, Alvin G.. 1888-91, L. A. 1902. 
Williams. William J.. 1896. 
AVilliams, Annie T., 1901-03. 
Wing, Frank H.. 1875-76. 
Wing, Fred, 1875-76. 
Wonson, Asa M., 1900-01. 
Wonson. Jennie M., 1900. 
Wood, Edward Addison. 1857. L. A. 

1858. 
Wood. William Curtis, 1857, L. A. 1858. 



Wood, Vesta, 1894-96. 

Wood, Wilma, 1894-02. 

Wood, Henry, 1894-03. 

Wood, George E., 1901-05. 

Wood, Sarah E., 1901-04. 

Wood. Elmer J., 1902-10. 

Woods, Laura J., 1903-08. 

Wood, Herbert B.. 1905-07. 

Woods. Hattie, 1908. 

Wood, Vernon F., 1908-09. 

Wilis, Benedict J., 1908-09. 

Workman, Ruth E., 1902-09. 

Workman, Horace W., 1902. 

Workman, Edith M., 1909-10. 

Willard, Stedman A.. 1853-55. 

Willard, Lydia S.. 1843-56, L. A. 1851. 

Williams, Lucy A., 1870. 

Wright, Maria C, 1851-59, L. A. 1854. 

Wright. Sarah J., 1851-64, L. A. 1866. 

Wright, Fannie E., 1851-64, L. A. 1860. 

Wveth, Adaline D., 1854. 

Wveth, Warren, 1854-55. 

Wyeth, Augusta E., 1854. 

The John M. Gilson family lived for 
many years in the district and Mr. Gil- 
son was prudential committee at 
times. His home was Just below the 
school and has been a favorite board- 
ing place for the teachers. We can 
imagine the young men found it 
pleasant in the company of Mr. Gil- 
son's interesting daughters. His sons 
and daughters all attended here and 
some of his grandchildren are now 
pupils. 

Mr. Gilson built a new house after 
his purchase of the farm in 1849, of 
the Levi Stone heirs and the old house 
which stood deserted across the road 
southerly of the present one was a 
favorite playhouse for the scholars 
of those days until sold to a Mr. Fitz 
and moved away. 

Valancourt Stone was the only son 
of Abraham Stone and attended school 
here for several years. He was born 
in 1829, and died on December 15, 1906, 
aged 77 yrs. 2 mos. 10 days, at Cam- 
bridge, Mass., where he had resided 
for several years after leaving the 
town of Ayer. His house in the last- 
named town, was opposite the en- 
trance to the town park at the reser- 
voir. 

The Harriman family was living 
at the well-known Moors farm in 1857, 
and had representatives in the school. 
In 1894, Isaac Harriman, jr., return- 
ed to the district and purchased the 
Ephraim Sawtell or Gaut place, 
where he now resides, with his son 
and family. 

.John and Benjamin Hartwell both 
settled in this district at about the 
same time, in 1846. John bought the 



14 — 




No. ]!•. 'rill' .l.ihii M. (.iUoli II. .MM'. I'.iiih ill I- 




No. I'J. lii'lirnim -.iwliil lloim-, 




Hiifiis U. Itifhurdsoii. I'll. D. I?(>rii Aiiril is, 1,S4J. 



George M. Shattuck place and Ren- 
jainin built a now house on i)art of 
the Benjamin Ilall farm. They wore 
sons of Doacon Samuel and Caroline 
Matilda Wright Hartwell of Groton. 

Samuel Noah Hartwell was the only 
one of John's children who altondod 
the school. He is now living at Ger- 
mania, Wis., and is town clerk, librari- 
an and a general business man at 
that place. 

The sons of Benjamin, Benjamin H. 
and Harris C, became distinguisiied 
in the councils of the state, both being 
members of the legislature and the 
latter a member of the state senate 
and its president. 

The services of Benjamin H. Hart- 
well in this vicinity as teacher, physi- 
cian, school committee and the pro- 
moter of all work for the public good, 
will never be forgotten. Harris was 
a lawyer in Fitciiburg and both died 
in the very midst of their useful ca- 
reers much lamented. 

Emma C. Hartwell was a daughter 
of Benjamin and a brief account of 
her is given among the list of teach- 
ers. 

In a pamphlet heretofore published, 
entitled "The Community at Groton," 
is an extended account of the Walter 
Dickson family. The names of the 
sons and daughters will be found 
among the early iiupila. They attend- 
ed school here between 1838 and 1843, 
and three of these — Henry, Almira 
and Mary, with the younger one Caro- 
line, accompanied their parents to 
Palestine on their mission of humanity 
and suffered greatly in a brutal as- 
sault made by brigands in that coun- 
try. 

Rufus B. Richardson was born in 
Westford, Mass., April 18, 1845, son of 
Joseph and Lucy M. Richardson, at- 
tended this school 1856-59, graduated 
at Lawrence academy in 1865, after 
his return from the war, and Yale 
college in 1869. He studied for the 
ministry at Yale Divinity school and 
was licensed to preach. After a brief 
period of preaching, he was appointed 
a tutor at Yale, followed by an ap- 
pointment as professor in Greek lan- 
guages at Indiana State university, 
and later at Dartmouth college. He 
was at the head of the American 
School of Archeology and Research at 
Athens, Greece, for eleven years and 



made important discoveries In the ex- 
cavations at Corinth. He is a cloar 
tliinkor and writer, and a lerturor 
upon subjects of archeologica! inter- 
est. He married Alice E., daughter 
of the late Henry C. Bowen of Brook- 
lyn, N. Y., and Woodstock, Conn., and 
resides at Woodstock. 

One old pupil in 1855-62, Sanford P. 
Proctor, says: "After leaving Mr. 
Wright I enlisted in the navy and at 
tiie close of the war, was sent to Europe 
for two years; then sent to India, 
China and Japan for four years; then 
to South America, one year. Was 
married here in Waterbury, Conn., in 
1878, and have lived here ever sinco. 
We have two daughters living in Now 
Haven. My wife and I are passing 
the evening of our lives here in Wa- 
terbury, and talking over the past." 

George Ford was the son of Rev. 
George Ford, a missionary to southern 
India in November. 1846. The son 
George boarded in the family of Ephra- 
im Sawtell while liis father was doing 
missionary work in various places in 
the United States. 

Benjamin F., Samuel L. and Henry 
G. Graves, residents of District No. 
3 in 1857, when that school was tem- 
porarily closed, attended this school. 

Samuel L. Graves graduated at Am- 
herst college in 1870, is a successful 
lawyer in Fitchburg and in 1891, was 
elected mayor of that city. 

Franklin Earland Gilson was born 
on September 7, 1852, son of John M. 
Gilson, attended Lawrence academy 
after leaving No. 2, and studied den- 
tistry with the Colton Dental associ- 
ation in Boston. Began practice in 
Groton in 1880, and at present Is one 
of the most successful dentists in 
the state, being located in Aver. ]io 
is a successful fruit grower, owning 
one of the largest apple orchards in 
Groton, in which town he resides. His 
interest In Moors school is deeply 
rooted, continued from his boyhood 
days, when he was a pupil, to the pres- 
ent time, and is further shown by 
the attendance of three of his childron 
there, though he resides nearer to the 
village schools. To Dr. Gilson. the 
writer wishes to extend appreciation 
for assistance rondored in the securing 
of much information from the older 
pupils who are now living. 



— 15 — 



Everhard, Clarence and Henry Gove 
were sons of Edward H. Gove, once 
secretary of the state of Maine, who 
bought and lived for about a year at 
the Alva Wright farm. 

James Hackett is an officer at the 
truant school for boys at North 
Chelmsford, Mass. 

Charles, Frank and Henry Blood 
were for many years employed on the 
old Fitchburg railroad, all at one time 
on one train as engineer, conductor 
and brakeman. The engineer, Charles, 
is still employed as such on the same 
division and the other two have died. 

In the year 1857, after the breaking 
up of the "community," as a religious 
sect, the private school previously held 
in the "Old shop," was not maintained, 
and from out the west came advise to 
the remaining families to have their 
boys and girls attend the town 
schools. As one of them remarks he 
felt like a "fish out of water," but 
they had good friends in the teacher 
of 1858, Mr. Bancroft and in Nathaniel 
Sawtell, the prudential committee for 
1858-59-60, who had to come over and 
talk pretty strongly to some of the 
older boys who were inclined to make 
life at school miserable for them. 

Samuel N. Hartwell of Wisconsin, 
v.rites: "We all read two verses in 
the Testament each morning, and then 
Mr. Bancroft offered prayer, standing 
behind his desk. Mr. Bancroft was 
always very kind to the community 
children and gave us much credit for 
being good and studious. I have al- 
ways had pleasant memories of my 
going to school at school No. 2 in 
Groton, Mass." 

The following is a sketch of a form- 
er pupil who like his father, .Joseph 
H. Richardson, attended school here 
for a short period. This was publish- 
ed in Turner's Public Spirit shortly 
after his death, which occurred on 
July 1, 1894: 

"Charles H. Richardson was born in 
Groton, in 1857, being the eldest of a 
family of nine children. His boyhood 
years were spent with his parents on 
a small farm in that part of the town 
known as "the community" and near 
where is now located the Groton 
School; afterward working somewhat 
with his father at the carpenter's 
trade. Becoming at an early age fa- 
miliar with all the branches taught 



in the common schools in the vicinity 
of his home, he attended the Ayer 
high school, graduating with its earli- 
est class. He attended the academy 
and later Phillips academy, from 
which he graduated. He then enter- 
ed Yale college, graduating with hon- 
or in the class of '80. Immediately 
upon leaving Yale, before returning 
to his home, he took a civil service ex- 
amination, passing successfully, near 
the head of the list. On August 16, 
1880, he was appointed to a clerkship 
in the patent office at Washington. 
There he was from time to time pro- 
moted upon his merits as shown by 
competitive examination, from a $1200 
position to that of first assistant ex- 
aminer at a salary of $1800 a year. 
When taken down with his last sick- 
ness he was acting principal examiner, 
with prospect of an early promotion 
to the position of principal." 

His wife was Anna Bancroft, daugh- 
ter of the late Edmund Dana Bancroft 
of Ayer, and she taught Moors school 
in 1878-79. 

Edward Adams Richardson, a pupil 
in 1864 and again from 1870 to 1875, 
was born in Groton Junction, Novem- 
ber 24, 1859. After leaving this school 
and the excellent methods of instruc- 
tion of Mrs. Torrey, he attended Law- 
rence academy, graduating in the class 
of 1879. He entered Yale in the class 
of 1883, and left college in his junior 
year to take up a business life. Has 
served the towns of Shirley and Ayer 
in public positions and now resides 
in Ayer. His name is also found 
among the list of pupils who have 
taught school after leaving No. 2. He 
is a son of Joseph H. and Mary Hart- 
well Richardson, and is of a family 
which has furnished several scholars 
at this school. 

Amos L. Ames, pupil 1868-72, was 
elected a selectman of Groton in the 
year 1911. 

Henry A. Billings, 1885, became a 
noted turfman at Chicago, where hia 
father was a wealthy gas manufac- 
turer. 

The Brown children of 1851, are liv- 
ing in New York and Pennsylvania at 
the present time, and were brothers 
and sisters of the late Michael Brown 
of Ayer, an older son of Mrs. Ellen 
Brown, a widow, who lived at the 
"pink house" south of James brook. 



16 — 




.\(i. It. I'.(ii.i:iiiiiii ll:irt\vcll Iloii-f. Uiiilt IMT— Mi>\f.| 1!HI4. 







No. i:.. i;i.li;ir.l-.m llniin'. Ituilt Is.M. 




K. I);m:i r.Murrolt. Is-Jl— is'.Ki 



George B. Duren is a successful 
comiuission merchant in dry goods in 
New Yorlt city. He was a member 
of Company B, 26tli Massachusetts 
Regiment in the war of the rebellion. 
His parents, Robert and Betsey Duren, 
died, the one July 25, 1886, aged 82 
years and 8 months, the other on July 
7, 1886, aged 82 years and 8 months. 

John Willard Coding was born at 
Waterville. Me., April 5, 1866, the son 
of T. Madison Coding, who came into 
the district in 1874. John and his 
brothers attended Moors school and 
when the family removed to Ayer he 
entered the high school there, where 
he graduated in the class of 1883. Dur- 
ing his school days in Ayer he assisted 
Ceorge H. Hill as a druggist clerk, 
and in 1884, entered West Point mili- 
tary academy, where he ranked high 
in his studies. 

He was a favorite in all the schools 
he attended and a young man of great 
promise. He died suddenly at West 
Point at the age of nineteen, appar- 
ently up to that time in perfect health, 
after running up stairs to his room. 

Alline E. Marcy will be remembered 
by a few of the past pupils as having 
attended the school for a short time 
while her aunt, Mrs. Ellen M. Torrey, 
taught and with whom she lived at the 
time. Miss Marcy is the daughter of 
Dwight and Alline Williams Marcy, 
and was born at Tolland, Conn., in 
February, 1868. Her mother was one 
of the Williams family of Chicopee 
row, a family which furnished men and 
women as teachers for the schools of 
Groton for many years. Miss .Marcy 
is a graduate of Boston Law school 
and is a practicing lawyer in Boston 
and was among the first young ladies 
to graduate from that institution. 

Ralph Farnsworth Culver, son of 
James and Mary Holland Culver, was 
born on August 1, 1881, in Groton, 
graduated at the Lowell TeJctile school 
and as a chemist was employed at 
Littleton, Providence and Pawtucket, 
and then was head dyer for the Ar- 
nold Print Works, North Adams. He 
is now superintendent of the Hollis- 
ton mill at Norwood. IMass., and is 
quite a successful man along the lines 
of his chosen work. He has been a 
director and trustee of the institution 
in Ix)well at which he secured his 
technical training. 



The five sons of Theophilu.s Ciiinan 
Smith, who resides on the old Levi 
Stone and John .M. Cilson farm, have 
all extended the education received 
here by attending the high school and 
Lawrence academy at Groton. Fran- 
cis went to Tufts college, bocame a 
civil engineer and was employed by 
the Inited States government in the 
Phillipine Islands. lOdward went to 
Williams college, Lawrence took a 
course at the Massachusetts Agricul- 
tural college and Theophilus, jr., at- 
tended the Lowell Textile school. 
George attended the Groton high 
school and all the brothers have ex- 
cellent postions. 

It may be interesting to state that 
Nathan F. Culver once told his oldest 
daughter, Mary Elizabeth, that li<« and 
her mother often ploughed their way 
across the very farm they afterwards 
owned when they were pupils togeth- 
er at No. 2, one winter. They then 
lived at the Amos Farnsworth farm 
and the boy led the way to school, 
breaking the path through the deep 
snow for his future wife. 

When public spelling matclies were 
the rage in the New England towns, 
the schoolhouse was opened on several 
occasions in the evenings for a neigh- 
borhood contest and lamps were 
brought in and a generally social time 
was had. The presence of the fixed 
seats probably was all that prevented 
a country dance to wind up the meet- 
ing. 

So in the earlier days, spirit lamps 
were brought by every pupil to the 
writing schools given by some peripa- 
tetic teacher. The evening prayer 
meeting held here In the revival peri- 
od of 1871, gives another tJirn to our 
interest in the old schoolhouse and 
was intended to bring into the fold 
those in the district who were, per- 
haps, not afRliated with any particu- 
lar church. These meetings were af- 
terwards conducted at the "Yeast 
house," up on the hill, and later in a 
tent by evangelists from Boston. 

Some of the more recent pupils have 
expressed their pleasant recollections 
of the ride to school with the teacher, 
Miss Lonpley. as she drove from the 
neighborhood of the "other road," and 
recall the great alarm and constant 
solicitude they had for her and Clar- 
ence Tuttle when they were injured 



17 



at the railroad crossing on Decem- 
ber 23, 1891. 

One of the "school girls" who lived 
quite near the school Avrites: "I re- 
member with peculiar pleasure my 
five years of school life at the little 
brick schoolhouse on the hill. Time 
has brought many changes, but the 
fragrance of the memory of my child- 
hood days in Groton lingers very near 
my heart." 

Many of the teachers at this school 
afterwards continued their labors as 
educators in other places and some 
became famous as the heads of class- 
ical and technical schools. 

The following list of teachers will 
be found interesting for reference: 

1802-3. John Farrar. 
1817. Joshua Green. 

1832. Curtis Lawrence. 

1833. Elizabeth Jacobs. 

1834. Maria Nutting. 
1836. Clifford Belcher. 

1840. Charles Dickson. 

1841. Mary Brigham. 

1842. Cynthia Jacobs. 
1842-3. Samuel C. Wheeler. 

1846. Curtis Lawrence. 

1847. Harriet B. Harwood; Curtis 

Lawrence. 
1848-9. Artemas Longley. 

1849. Susan F. Lawrence; J. Otis 

Whitney. 

1850. Agnes B. Pollard; Hollis Carr. 

1851. Agnes B. Pollard; John P. 

Towne. 

1852. Alma Willard; Alden Ladd. 

1853. Agnes B. Pollard; Alden Ladd. 

1854. Mary E. Andrews; Mary P. 

Baker. 

1855. Frances O. Peabody; Charles 

O. Thompson. 

1856. Jane E. Davis; Solomon Flagg. 

1857. Amanda Parsons; Earl Web- 

ster Westgate. 

1858. Elizabeth Graham; Cecil F. P. 

Bancroft. 

1859. Susan F. Bancroft; Cecil F. P. 

Bancroft. 

1860. Susan F. Bancroft; Rufus Liv- 

ermore. 

1861. Susan F. Bancroft; George A. 

Bruce. 

1862. Julia M. Page; Charles E. 

Blgelow. 

1863. Emma C. Hartwell; Emma C. 

Hartwell. 
J864. Emma C. Hartwell; Benjamin 
H. Hartwell. 



1865. Lizzie S. Jaquith; Maria C. 

Wright. 

1866. Fannie E. Wright; James C. C. 

Parker. 

1867. Fannie E. Wright; Jennie 

Wright. 

1868. Cynthia A. Goodnow; Andrew 

F. Reed. 

1869. Arabella Prescott; Andrew P. 

Reed. 

1870. Genie A. Hunt; Jennie Wright, 

two terms. 

1871. Jennie Wright, three terms. 

1872. Jennie Wright; Lucy Hill; El- 

len M. Torrey. 

1873-4-5-6. Ellen M. Torrey. 

1877. Ellen M. Torrey Mason, thir- 
teen terms in all. 

1877. Clara F. Woods, three terms. 

1878. Clara F. Woods; Abby D. Pen- 

niman; J. H. Warren. 

1879. Anna Bancroft, two terms; 

Sarah F. Longley, one term. 
1880-1891. Sarah F. Longley, thirty- 
six terms. 

1892. Dora L. Bailey taught in winter. 
1892-3. Nannette J. May, three terms. 

1893. M. Leola Wright, one term. 
1893. Sarah F. Longley, one term. 
1894-1907. Sarah F. Longley, forty- 
two terms. 

1908. Mary H. Kimball, two terms. 
1908-1911. Sarah F. Longley, ten 
terms. 

John Farrar, who taught In the 
winter of 1802-3, was born in Lincoln, 
Mass., July 1, 1779, and graduated at 
Harvard college in the class of 1803. 
From 1805 to 1836, he was connected 
with the college as tutor and instruc- 
tor in Greek in the early years and 
later held the chair of Hollis profes- 
sor of mathematics and natural phil- 
osophy. He also published a text 
book on the elements of algebra. He 
died on May 8, 1853. The following 
is taken from a notice in the Chris- 
tian Examiner for July 1853: 

"Like other students of limited 
means he kept school in some coun- 
try town during the winter vaca- 
tions; once at Groton, where he form- 
ed a friendship with the elder member 
of the family of Lawrence, which 
lasted through their lives." 

The following letter contributed to 
this article by Dr. Samuel A. Green, 
the historian of Groton and librarian 
of the Massachusetts Historical soci- 
ety, from his files, is so peculiarly 



18 — 



of interest locally that It is inserted 
here in complete form. It is acMress- 
od to Deacon Samuel Farrar of Lin- 
coln, and that person was undoubt- 
edly iiis father, as is shown by tlie 
customary respectful tone of letters 
in those days to parents. 

There were evidently other stu- 
dent teachers in the party. The farm 
referred to was the one known in 
recent years as the Culver place, then 
owned and occupied by Major Joseph 
Moors, a soldier of the colonial and 
revolutionary wars, who was born on 
May 30, 1738. He was at the siege 
of Louisburg in 17.^8, and commanded 
a company under Col. William Pres- 
cott at the battle of Bunker Hill. He 
died on July 25, 1820. His son Ben- 
jamin was born in 1793, and died at 
Groton Center, August 16, 1853, after 
ho sold the farm to Aaron Mason. 

The Farrar letter Is as follows: 

Groton, January 1, ISO.''.. 

Dear Sir: After leaving you at Con- 
cord we proceeded on our journey as 
fast as the badness of the road would 
permit us to travel and arrived at 
Groton about 6 In the evening:. We 
tarried at Mr. Hall's tavern near the 
meeting house over night and the next 
morning were conducted to our re- 
spective districts. On the friday fol- 
lowing I opened my school with about 
twenty schollars. The number has 
been increasing since so that now I 
have about fifty. With respect to my 
boarding place I have such an one as 
I could wish. I live with one of the 
first farmers in the County of Middle- 
sex. Maj. Moors the gentleman's 
name, keeps about forty head of cattle 
besides sheep, horses, turkeys, hog.s. 
etc., etc. He sometimes raises seven 
or eight hundred bushels of rye, near- 
ly as much corn and between ten 
and fifteen thousand weight of hops. 
His hops this last season brought him 
in upwards of one thousand dollars, 
but they cost him more labor to pre- 
pare them for the market than to got 
his hay. Last year they wero cut off 
together with large fit-Ids of rye and 
nnples in all probability for one hun- 
drpd and fifty beryls of cyder, by a 
most remarkable hall storm near the 
first of .Tune. The hall stones were 
many of them as large as partridge 
eggs and fell In such quantities and 
with such violence as to break all 
the glass of the buildings faceing the 
wind, and to cover the floors of houses 
with soot and black hnll stones. The 
Rtohm happened on Monday, when it 
was very warm, and, altho' It lasted 
but onTel hour and an half, the hall 
stones were knee deep In a certain 
tray fashion place near here on the 
Friday following. Parson Write 

fUev. rblneas Wright] of Boulton, 
preaching hero the succeeding Sunday. 



picked up hall stones In the road and 
carried homo for a show. Orrhards 
were so stripped and briilsod that they 
havo borne but little since and large 
dints In the buildings about here still 
remain as monuments of this tremen- 
dous storm. 

I live, sir, with a very hospitable 
and benevolent people. My accoinoda- 
tlons are very good. I live about one 
quarter of a mile from school and 
about two miles from meeting. 

Wo have today, sir, experienced a 
very pleasant and agreeable com- 
mencement of a new year. While it 
reminds of the benevolence and the 
contlnu<>d mercy of Providence, ought 
It not to lead us to rellect on the 
quick sticcesslon of years, on the short- 
ness and the value of life, to consider 
and to correct the errors of the past 
year, and to fortify our minds with 
such principles of virtue and piety, 
as shall preserve us In the pleasant 
and peaceful paths of wisdom. You, 
sir. and the rest of the family wheth- 
er at home or absent T mfost] cordial- 
ly wish a happy new year, and many 
yet to come. I acknowledge the debt 
of gratitude. I feel a tender attach- 
ment in the family. Every new scene 
of life leads me to value more and 
more highly those habits and prin- 
ciples Imbibed in early youth, for 
which I am Indebted to kind and 
obliging Parents. I wish, sir. to hear 
from home, particularly of the acci- 
dent which .Tames lately met with, of 
his health, of Samuel's, what doing, 
etc., etc. My health, sir. God bo 
praised, is good, and think not, sir, 
that I am unconslous of the Important 
blessing. 

JOHN FARRAR. 



One of the early teachers was 
.Tosliua Green, the father of Hon. 
Samuel A. Green, the historian of 
Groton and the present librarian 
of the Massachusetts Historical Gene- 
alogical society, born on March Ti, 
1830. Dr. Green the elder, was 
born In Wendell, Mass., October 8, 
1707. He attended the academies at 
New Salem, Westfield and Milton, and 
f::raduated at Harvard in the class of 
1818, and took his M. D. degree at 
the Harvard Medical school In 1821. 
It was during his Harrard course 
that he taught the school here for 
one winter and boarded on Farmers' 
row, in the family of Major Samuel 
Lawrence, whose daughter Eliza, ho 
married in January F>. 1824. 

He began the practise of his profes- 
sion In Sunderland in March 1823, 
but returned to Groton In the spring 
of 182.^^, whrro he continued in his 
Iirnfession for many years. He rep- 
resented the town In the legislature 
in 1S36 and 1837, was a trustee of the 



— 19 



academy from 1831 to 1867. He had 
a fondness for genealogical research, 
which his son has inherited to a 
marked degree. In 1849, he was 
chosen a corresponding member of 
the New England Historical and 
Genealogical society. After the death 
of his wife he went to live with his 
daughter in Morristown, N. J., where 
he died on June 5, 1875. 

Maria H. Nutting, or as she was 
christened in Groton, Hannah Maria 
Nutting, was an early teacher here 
in about the year 1834. She was the 
daughter of Joseph Danforth and Lu- 
cinda Keep Nutting, and was born on 
January 17, 1814. Entered Groton 
academy in 1832, and after teaching 
a few years in this vicinity, went to 
Hudson, Ohio, where her uncle, Rufus 
Nutting, of Groton, was one of the 
first professors in Western Reserve 
college, then located there and which 
she attended. In 1839, she returned 
east and was married on March 4, in 
that year, to Rev. Nathan Stone Ben- 
ham of Byron, N. Y., a missionary of 
the A. B. C. F. M. As intending mis- 
sionaries they were married at a pub- 
lic service in the church at Groton by 
Rev. Dudley Phelps, and sailed from 
Boston in the ship Arno, July 6, 1839, 
with other missionaries, for Singa- 
pore, where they arrived on October 
2:^ and located at Bangkok, Siam, on 
March 1, 1840. 

Mr. Benham was not long engaged 
in the work before he was drowned 
by the upsetting of a boat in April, 
1840, and his widow returned to the 
United States in May, 1840. She mar- 
ried again in Dummerston, Vt., Dr. 
Isaac Newton Knapp, November 17, 
1845, and died at Clear Lake, Minne- 
sota, on January 18, 1884. 

Her brother. Rev. John W. Nutting, 
of Auburndale, Fla., says of her: 

"Her life was a checkered one, but 
was wholly spent in humble service 
to others. She was the good angel 
for all the sick or destitute wherever 
she lived. Through long assisting her 
husband, in attending upon the sick, 
she became so much of a physician 
that her usefulness in the new 
regions of her later life was very 
great." 

Clifford Belcher was born in Farm- 
inc,ton, Me., March 31, 1819, and died 
at Homeopathic hospital in Boston, 
December 24, 1879. He was the son 



of Clifford and Deborah Allen Belcher, 
the father being of Stoughton and his 
mother of Princeton. He taught this 
school in 1836, and was one of those 
student teachers for he was a gradu- 
ate of Harvard college in the class 
of 1837. 

In the "Memorials of the Class of 
1837, of Harvard University," is an 
extended notice. He studied law and 
began the practice of his profession 
in New York city. Went to New Or- 
leans about 1846, and is said to have 
accumulated a large property which 
was swept away at the time of the 
civil war. He served one year as 
major in the Confederate army. Judge 
Holmes (who saw him in St. Louis, 
about 1875) says: "His success in 
his profession would seem to argue 
ability, character, and knowledge of 
the law, and I have no doubt he pos- 
sessed all these in an eminent degree. 
The civil law and practice of Louisi- 
ana are quite different from the juris- 
prudence of the other states, and re- 
quire familiarity with the system 
and much comprehensive learning, 
and he appears to have been a com- 
petent master of it." 

Charles Dickson was a son of Wal- 
ter Dickson 2nd, and was born at 
the Groton homestead near No. 3 
school on August 8, 1809. He fitted 
for college at Groton academy and 
went to Yale where he graduated in 
the class of 1835. in the winter of 
1840, he taught the school in District 
No. 2. 

In the spring of 1855, he moved with 
his family to Kansas and was one of 
those earnest eastern men who 
sought to save Kansas for the group 
of free states. His daughter Louisa, 
afterwards married William Liver- 
more and they were living about five 
and one-half miles south of Lawrence 
at the time of Quantrell's raid, during 
the civil war, and Mr. Dickson's house 
was burned. The Livermore house on 
an adjoining claim was not burned. 

After the destruction of Lawrence 
the guerrillas returned to Missouri by 
the road that passed the Livermore 
farm and Mrs. Livermore, who is now 
living in Shirley, tells how the fam- 
ilies hid in the sugar cane and watch- 
ed their destructive passage. Mr. 
Dickson died at Quenemo, Osage 
County, Kansas, July 5, 1881. 



^20 — 




Kuril ;il (.ruloii. Mil".. Mr. .nili.T 2s. IMT. I'i.-.l I •.■.■.iiil-tT :•. IM'I. 




Curtis Ltiwrence. lT!)!t— 1SS8. 




No. 4. Nathiin Sawtell House. 



Mary Loring Brigham, daughter of 
George Brigham, of Groton, was born 
in that town on November 2, IS^li. 
She was a half-sister of tlie late 
George Dexter Brigham, for many 
years the town clerk. She attended 
Groton academy, entering in IbuG, and 
in the spring of 1841, taught No. 2 
school. She married Mr. Gardner 
.Morse of New Haven, Conn., in De- 
cember, 1843, and died on February 
20, 1856. 

Elizabeth Jacobs was born in 1813, 
and taught in 1835. She died in Gro- 
ton in the year 1899. 

Cynthia S. Jacobs probably taught 
in 1842. She was the daughter of 
Sylvester and Cynthia Jacobs of Gro- 
ton. and was born on the homestead 
in 1815, and died In the year of 1842. 
She was a sister of Elizabeth, who 
also taught here, and Charles Jacobs, 
who had particular charge of this 
school as committee-man for years. 

In the spring of 1847, Miss Harriet 
Byron Harwood was the teacher. She 
was the daughter of Nahum and So- 
phia (Kimball) Harwood, and was 
born in Littleton, Mass., October 6, 
1822. She entered Groton academy 
in 1840, and there prepared for teach- 
ing. She also taught in Lancaster, 
Mass., in 1848, and was married on 
January 1, 1850, to John W. Mulliken 
of Boxborough, and died in Charles- 
town, Mass., June 5, 1853. She was 
one of five brothers and sisters of 
the family, of which Joseph A. Har- 
wood of Littleton, and Nahum Har- 
wood of Leominster, were members. 

The records show that Deacon Cur- 
tis Lawrence taught this school in 
1847 and since his daughter went to 
school to him at her first attendance 
here we then have a verbal record of 
an earlier charge over this school. 
Mr. Lawrence in 1847 was a veteran 
teacher in the schools of Groton dur- 
ing the winter terms. 

He was born in Groton April 26, 
1799, at the old homestead on the 
east road in the district and his sons 
and daughters were pupils here and 
some of them went on througli llie 
academy and college. 

His administration was marked by 
great interest and improvement. The 
school committee remarked in their 
report that "Love and respect for 
teacher were everywhere manifest." 



•Mr. Lawrence also taught what was 
called the grammar school at No. 12, 
CJroton Junction, which some of the 
larger boys of District No. 2 attended 
winters. He was a remarkably tall 
nian and kindliness lurked in the 
eyes overshadowed by his long shag- 
gy eyebrows. He was long a notice- 
able person in tills vicinity and died 
ill Groton February 23, 1888. His 
lirst wife was Lucy Merriam, the 
mother of his children and she died 
November 18, 1846. 

Susan Frances Lawrence, daughter 
of Deacon Curtis Lawrence, is now 
living in Groton in the home of her 
son. She married Reuben Lewis on 
November 8, 18G6, and has one son, 
Frank D. I^ewis, and one daughter, 
Susie E., wife of George S. Knapp. 
Mrs. Lewis was born in Groton on 
November 30, 1828, and is probably 
both the oldest living pupil and 
teacher of this school. 

As a pupil in 1833 Mrs. Lewis re- 
members the old fireplace which was 
supposed to sulhciently heat the 
building. After leaving the school as 
a pupil she attended Groton Academy 
and Appleton academy in New Ips- 
wich, and one year at Mt. Holyoke 
seminary and returned as a teacher 
in the summer of 1849 and taught 
several years elsewhere. 

The following description of the 
schoolroom in 1833, may interest some 
of the present day scholars. Mrs. 
Lewis says: 

"I remember the schoolroom as it 
was in those early days. The large 
fire-place was in the middle of the 
side opposite tlie door at which one 
entered. The teacher's desk was in 
the corner of the same side. On the 
other sides were the seats for the 
scholars with desks in front of them; 
the boys on one side, the girls on the 
other. There was a large space be- 
tween them, where the scholars wont 
out and stood in a line to read, spell, 
etc. 

"The word given out to spell, if 
not spelled correctly by the one to 
whom given, was passed on, the one 
who spelled it right going above the 
others. The one who was at the 
head of the class wore a nitMial home 
at night, in tlie morning returning 
it and taking a place at the foot of 
the class. The medal was a twenty- 
five cent piece with a hole in it." 



— 21 — 



This system of spelling down, or 
spelling up, was quite in vogue about 
forty years ago, and the description 
given us by Mrs. Lewis shows that 
it had continued from a much earlier 
date. In those days the teacher must 
have been considered when the desk 
was located in the corner, comforta- 
bly near the fire-place. 

Lucy Maria Lawrence, a sister, was 
a pupil here previous to her attend- 
ance at Groton Academy in 1837. She 
married Rev. William Wood on July 
11, 1847, and they sailed in the same 
month for Bombay as missionaries at 
Satara mission in India. Two sons 
were born there and after the death 
of their mother in India they were 
sent to Groton to their grandfather, 
Deacon Curtis Lawrence and were 
pupils at the district school in 1857. 

One was William Curtis Wood, who 
went to li'ale and died in New Haven 
in 1875, the other was Edward Ad- 
dison Wood, who graduated at Har- 
vard Medical school in 1869 and be- 
came a successful physician and di d 
July 18, 1886. 

Edward Addison Lawrence, oldest 
son of Curtis Lawrence, was a pupil 
here before 1837, when he attended 
Lawrence Academy. He was born 
February 25, 1823, graduated at Dart- 
mouth in 1843 and was a teacher for 
many years. He was principal of Ap- 
pleton academy at New Ipswich, N. 
H., for a period of seven years, after- 
wards a high school teacher, and he 
also taught a select school for boys 
at Wyoming, Pa., for several years. 
He died in Orange, N. J., February 
6, 1911, aged eighty-eight years. 

The interest of the Curtis Lawrence 
family has continued for over a cen- 
tury in this school, through the fath- 
er and son and daughters, and Mrs. 
Lewis's husband, the late Reuben 
Lewis, was one of the school com- 
mittee for several years. 

Samuel Cragln Wheeler, a son of 
Artemas and Esther (Cragin) Wheel- 
er, was born in Temple, N. H., April 
27, 1820. After 1834, he was living 
with his parents in Groton on the 
road to the soapstone quarry at a 
farm just northerly of the farm of 
Deacon Isaiah Cragin, whose daugh- 
ter Asenath he married, September 
29, 1852. He entered a student at 
Groton academy in 1838, and it was 
probably at the close of his course 



here that he taught the school at 
District No. 2. John P. Hildreth of 
Townsend sat under his instruction 
for two terms after 1841, and without 
much doubt he taught in the winters 
of 1842 and 1843. He died In Gro- 
ton on January 3, 1857. 

Artemas Longley of Shirley was 
the winter school master for the term 
of 1848-49. He was born in Shirley 
October 19, 1815, and married May 
18, 1845, Elizabeth Barrett of Shirley. 
Mr. Longley was a teacher of exper- 
ience and a strict master of discipline 
in the school. One old scholar re- 
members how one daj' he called up an 
unruly boy, took him and threw him 
out of the window into a large snow 
bank, saying "When you think you 
can behave yourself you come in and 
do so." He had no further trouble 
with that boy. 

Mr. Longley purchased a farm in 
Groton, on the cross road, in 1852, 
where his family now reside, and his 
daughters have all been most suc- 
cessful teachers, one of whom Sarah 
H. is the present teacher. He died 
at Groton, February 26, 1876. 

Agnes Bancroft Pollard was em- 
ployed as teacher for the spring terms 
of 1850-51-53. She was a most ener- 
getic teacher and in full control of 
her school. She was born in Groton 
on November 8, 1833, the youngest 
child of Jacob and Betsey (Davis) 
Pollard. She married, April 25, 1854, 
Asa Stillman Lawrence of Groton, and 
died on March 15, 1861. A son of 
this union, William Asa Lawrence, is 
a resident of Groton and one who 
has always manifested a deep inter- 
est in the public schools of his na- 
tive town. 

Hollis Carr was born in Stow, Mass., 
June 12, 1825, and this school in Gro- 
ton in 1850, was one of the early ones 
taught by him. He also taught the 
Ballard Hill school in Lancaster, 
Mass., and in New Jersey and Phila- 
delphia. 

In 1862, he married Annie Parker 
of Pepperell, who died several years 
ago. Mr. Carr died on December 17, 
1910, in Harvard, where he had been a 
resident many years. A notice of him 
appeared in Turner's Public Spirit 
under date of December 24, from 
which the following extract is taken: 

"Mr. Carr was a man of unusual 
education for his times, and during 



— 22 — 



his younger days gained a reputation 
as a succesBful" teacher in the sur- 
rounding towns. He was of an ex- 
ceedingly Itlndly disposition and was 
universally liked by young and old." 

Alden Ladd presided over the 
s<;hool during the winter terms of 
1852 and 1853. He was born at John- 
son, Vt., in 1830, and came to Law- 
rence academy in 1849, as a student. 
His parents were Avery S. and Sally 
(Cole) Ladd. He spent some time at 
Windsor Hill, attending lectures in 
the theological seminary, preparing 
for the ministry. He became a preach- 
er of the Congregational faith and 
was pastor at Waterville, sixteen 
years in Roxbury and six years in 
Berlin and West Berlin, all in Ver- 
mont. He married first Sarah Ed- 
wards and secondly Mary Prentiss, 
both of Roxbury. The last years of 
his life were passed at West Ran- 
dolph, Vt., where he died .July 1, 15^87. 

At the close of Mr. Ladd's services 
in Groton, Mr. Boutwell, for the 
school committee, reported that they 
believed female teachers could be em- 
ployed all the year around to advant- 
age in some cases. Some of the par- 
ents had complained of the over strict 
discipline and the harshness of his 
corrective methods. 

Miss Alma H. Willard was a lady 
of fine scholarship. She was born in 
1828, the daughter of Stedman and. 
Mary Howard Willard, who lived on 
the more recent John W. Tuttle farm. 
The family came from Lancaster to 
Groton in 1844, so that her attendance 
here as a pupil was quite brief before 
she went to the academy in 1845. After 
leaving the academy she taught at 
school No. 4 in Westford, and at No. 
10 and 11 in Groton, and at this school 
in 1852. She was much loved and 
respected as a teacher on account of 
her thoroughness and ability to con- 
trol the children under her care. Her 
two sisters, Almeda and Lydia, were 
also fine teachers. She married 
George Kendall of Ashby in 1864, 
who died on April 18, 1893. She was 
nearly blind In her later life and 
died in March, 1904. 

Miss Mary Elizabeth Andrews taught 
the school in 1854, and boarded in the 
family of John Hodgman. She was 
In the next year a student at Law- 
rence academy and had attended Ap- 
pleton academy in New Ipswich, N. 



H.. before teaching. The school at 
No. 2 was her first experience as a 
teacher and was followed by engage- 
ments at the Harris Crossing school 
in Shirley, called the southeast dis- 
trict; tlnn at Shlrlfy village, and at 
Groton Junction, where she labored 
successfully for several years. She 
was the daughter of Peter and Sarah 
(.Miirston) Andrews of Shirley, and 
was born on September 30, 1833, on 
tlie farm where her brother Charles 
now lives. She married In 1871, Al- 
pheus A. Adams, a merchant of Ches- 
ter, Vt., and died there In 1899. 

In 1855, Mary P. Baker came from 
Lowell, Mass., to teach this school. 
She was the daughter of Stephen and 
Sarah Curtis Baker, and was born 
at Tunbridge, Vt.. .March 6, 182C. Her 
mother died while the child was In 
infancy, and at the age of thirteen, 
she was deprived by death of her 
father. She was always bright and 
precocious as a child and could read 
in tlie new testament at the age of 
three years, and at the age of seven 
was the last to remain standing at 
a union spelling school. Her excel- 
lent education was secured in Lowell 
and she taught school in Tunbrldge, 
Groton and Pepperell. She married 
Joseph Whitney in Pepperell on No- 
vember 20, 1856, and is now living 
in Wells River, Vt.. and Is an invalid. 

Frances O. Peabody, a daughter of 
John and Abigail (Spaulding) Pea- 
body, was born in Groton. Mass., Feb- 
ruary 21, 1825. The home of her par- 
ents was the present Bigelow place on 
Main street, from which her brother 
William moved to the farm on the 
Ayer road, where he died on June 
19, 1910. Frances, called Fannie in 
those days, was one of a family of 
six daughters and two sons, and of 
the sons, William only grew to man- 
hood. The daughters were Frances, 
Elizabeth. Sarah, Mary Jane, Susan 
and Abigail. The first four became 
school teachers and taught In Gro- 
ton and the surrounding towns. Their 
early education was supplemented by 
an attendance at Groton academy, and 
Francos taught at No. 2 In the spring 
of 1S55, and at other times at school 
No. 3, Farmers' row, and at No. 9 
in the Brown Ixiaf Hill district 

Miss Peabody for several years was 
matron in Dr. Brown's institution for 
feeble minded children and youth at 



— 2.3 



Barre, Mass., and filled the position 
with marked success. She was never 
married and died in Groton, March 19, 
1907. 

Charles O. Thompson, during the 
winter of 1855-56, came from Dart- 
mouth college and taught the school, 
as others have done, resuming the 
college work in the spring. Mr. 
Thompson afterwards was president 
of the school now known as the Wor- 
cester Polytechnic institute at Wor- 
cester, Mass., and became one of the 
foremost educators of his time. The 
older pupils at No. 2 will remember 
the valuable instruction he gave them. 

The following extract is taken from 
a memorial to Charles O. Thompson, 
prepared by a committee of the Terre 
Haute Literary club, of which he was 
a member, 

"Charles Oliver Thompson, A. M., 
Ph. D., was born September 25, 1835, 
in East Windsor Hill, Connecticut, 
where his father, William Thompson, 
D. D., was then professor in the Con- 
necticut Theological Seminary since 
removed to Hartford in the same 
state. He prepared for college under 
Paul A. Chadbourne, and entered 
Dartmouth in 1854. He was gradua- 
ted in 1858, and received his degree 
of Master of Arts in 1861. His own 
college bestowed upon him the degree 
of Doctor of Philosophy in 1879, and 
Williams in 1880. Prom September, 
1858, till November, 1864, he was prin- 
cipal of Peacham academy in Ver- 
mont. From 1864, till the opening 
months of 1868, he was principal of 
the Cotting high school of Arlington, 
Mass. In February, 1868, he was 
elected principal of the Worcester 
Free Institute of Industrial Science. 
After spending eight months in Eu- 
rope, he assisted at the opening of 
that school in November of the same 
year. In April, 1882, he accepted the 
presidency of the Rose Polytechnic 
institute at Terre Haute. Beginning 
with the following July, he spent an- 
other eight months in Europe. March 
7, 1883, he delivered his inaugural ad- 
dress at the Rose Polytechnic, and 
held the presidency of that institution 
till his death, March 17, 1885. May 14, 
1862, he married Miss Maria Goodrich, 
daughter of Horace Goodrich, M. D., 
at East Windsor Hill, Connecticut. 
His widow and three children survive 
him. 



Miss Jane Elizabeth Davis was born 
in Newburyport, Mass., January 26, 
1834, the daughter of Nathaniel and 
Lydia Knapp (Hills) Davis. Her 
grandfather Davis built and lived in 
the old Adolphus Holden house, now 
in Ayer, on the Nashua river. The 
present house was built about one 
hundred years ago, but the original 
house stood where the barn now is, 
and was built by the maternal an- 
cesteors of Mr. Davis, the Stones, who 
were the original settlers of the farm. 
Miss Davis, the subject of this sketch, 
moved up to the Amos Farnsworth 
farm in 1851, when a young lady of 
seventeen, at that time of its pur- 
chase by her father. Miss Davis 
taught the school at No. 2 in 1856, and 
this was her only experience at teach- 
ing. In June, 1866, she married Al- 
fred Pollard, who died in August, 
1871. In November, 1872, she became 
the wife of Asa Stillman Lawrence, 
and died in her home in Groton in 
October, 1888, leaving no children. A 
sister, Sarah M. (Davis) Powers, is 
now living in Leominster. 

Earl Webster Westgate taught here 
the winter term of 1856-57. He was 
born in Plainfield, N. H., August 31, 
1838, son of John and Betsey Ann 
Westgate. While teaching he boarded 
like many other teachers in the fam- 
ily of John M. Gilson, near the school. 
Since leaving Groton he has been en- 
gaged in teaching and farming in 
Kansas and now lives in Manhattan, 
Kansas. He has been master of the 
state grange from 1900 to 1906, and 
representative for his county in the 
state legislature for the years 1909- 
10. He was married on August 21, 
1861, to Julia Maria Porter, and No- 
vember 11, 1905, to Lousia M. Cow- 
ell, and has a son Porter and daugh- 
ter Julia. He is an active, energetic 
man in his county and state. 

In the spring of 1857, Miss Amanda 
Parsons came from East Gloucester, 
Mass., to teach this school and while 
in Groton boarded with her cousins, 
the Harrimans, who lived on the old 
Moors place near the school. Miss 
Parsons had attended the public 
schools in her native town and taken 
a course at the Salem Normal school, 
and was a fine scholar. She was the 
daughter of Thomas L. and Matilda C. 
Parsons, and was born at East Glou- 
sester, December 14, 1836. Her father 



— 24 — 




I'.iitlcr lliuli S,li,M,l. r.iiill 1^7(1. 




N... III. .Inlin K. (,il-.in llcni-c. Itiiilt in IsTI - ISiininl in 1!h>J. 




Dr. Cecil F. 1". I'.aiu roll. 



was an old-time sea captain and the 
homestead of her parents was her 
home for years after her teaching ex- 
perience at Grotou. She never mar- 
ried and died at the old Parsons home 
on April 19, 11)10. 

Miss Mary p]lizabeth Graham was In 
charge of this school In the summer 
term of 1858. She was a graduate of 
the State Normal school at Framing- 
ham and had attended Lawrence acad- 
emy. She was born in Lunenburg, 
Mass., in December, 1839, the daugh- 
ter of Ephraim Graham, who had been 
a teacher in Fitchburg, Lunenburg 
and Leominster. After leaving Gro- 
ton. Miss Graham taught in East Wal- 
pole, Westminster, North Leominster 
and four years in Worcester. She 
then married Henry L. Bates of Bos- 
ton, and is living in Dorchester. 

The scholars of the winter terms of 
1858 and 1859, were favored in hav- 
ing for their teacher, none other than 
Cecil F. P. Bancroft, who here began 
that profession which he made his life 
work and in which he was preemi- 
nently successful. Cecil Franklin 
Patch Bancroft, Ph. D., Lit. D., Will- 
iams; L. L. D., Yale; was born in 
New Ipswich, N. H., November 25, 
1839, and died at Audover, Mass., Oc- 
tober 1, 1901. Mr. Bancroft was a 
student at Dartmouth college and was 
permitted to come to Groton to teach. 
He still kept up his studies and grad- 
uated at the college in the class of 
1860. After graduation he was prin- 
cipal of Appleton academy, Mt. Ver- 
non, N. H., from 1860 to 1864; a theo- 
logical student at Union Theological 
seminary, Schenectady, N. Y., 1865-66, 
and at Andover Theological seminary, 
1865 to 1867. 

He married on May 6, 1867, Miss 
Frances Adelia Kittredge, a former 
pupil and resident at Mt. Vernon, and 
immediately they went to Chattanooga 
to assume charge of "A loyal Chris- 
tian New England school for i)Oor 
whites," on Lookout Mountain. Here 
they remained until the school was 
closed in 1872. The years 1872-73, 
were spent In travel and study In 
Europe, and returning to America In 
1873, Mr. Bancroft assumed the prln- 
cipalship of Phillips academy at An- 
dover, Mass. He labored here with 
great success for twenty-eight years, 
a beloved instructor and greatly la- 
mented at his death, October 4, 1901. 



Three generations of Mr. Bancroft's 
ancestry lived in Groton in its early 
settlement and his parents, Dtvicon 
James Bancroft und his wife, Sarah 
Kendall Bancroft, moved to New Ips- 
wich, N. H., where the subject of lhl.s 
sketch was born, p^urly in life h« 
went to live with .Mr. and Mr». Patch 
of Ashby, friends of his parents. They 
had recently lost a little son by death 
and Cecil seemed to All the aching 
void in their hearts. He attended the 
schools in Ashby and prepared for 
college at Appleton academy In New 
Ipswich. Here he formed a life-long 
friendship with John Wesley Church- 
ill, who was with him at Andover. 
later in life, and was a noted teacher 
of elocution and reader. 

.Mr. Bancroft was present at the 
centennial celebration of Lawrence 
academy at Groton in 1893, and re- 
ferred to the fact that he was "ex- 
amined" by the late George S. Bout- 
well, when he applied to teach dis- 
trict school No. 2. One of his pupils 
at this school states that she always 
remembered the impressive manner in 
which their teacher conducted the re- 
(luired religious service at the open- 
ing of school and how on the last day 
of his teaching here he was greatly 
surprised when presented with a bible 
by his scholars. 

His son, Cecil K. Bancroft, of An- 
dover, informs me in writing: "I 
have before me a bible, 'Presented by 
liis piipils of District No. 2, In Gro- 
ton, Mass., February, 1859.'" 

His services here were most ef!1- 
cient and brought out from the school 
committee the terse and fitting en- 
dorsement: "The school was in every 
respect a good one." 

He was a close companion at Dart- 
mouth of George A. Bruce and George 
A. Marden, who both came from 
Mt. Vernon, N. H., and this undoubt- 
edly led to his going there to teach. 
Mr. Bruce afterwards taught at Dis- 
trict No. 2, and George A. Marden was 
for years the editorial head of the 
Lowell Journal and Courier, and 
treiusurer and receiver general of the 
commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

As principal at Appleton academy, 
Mt. Vernon, Mr. Bancroft had the 
able as.sistance, im j»receptes3, of his 
accomplished sister, who also taught 
the summer term for two years here 
at No. 2. 



— '2b — 



The following extract as tributes 
from friends are taken from an obit- 
uary notice of him in the Andover 
Townsman of October 1, 1901: 

"His early success as a teacher 
forecast his life work, although in 
the meantime he made full prepara- 
tion for the gospel ministry." 

"Thousands of young men who have 
gone out into the larger educational 
fields, or into business life from the 
great school, whose head. Dr. Ban- 
croft so long was, will ever tell by 
the influence of their lives, by the 
high standards they will raise, and 
through the strong characteristics 
they will ever show, that the founda- 
tions were laid by a master hand in 
the building of young manhood." 

"All those that taught with him 
and a large proportion of his pupils 
are grateful that they were privileged 
to hear the morning petitions offered 
in the school chapel. Those prayers 
were gracious messages of peace and 
strength, and enabled many to es- 
tablish their ways against evil and 
live a life that was true and service- 
able." 

"But I cannot forbear adding that 
the boy was father to the man, the 
young teacher was the prophecy of 
the mature education, for the same 
genial, cheery, kindly, unselfish heart, 
that won and blessed all who came 
under its influence in earlier days, 
is the sufficient secret of the success, 
which has crowned his twenty-eight 
years of tireless service in Andover, 
and makes the whole town, as well 
as the hosts of his scattered pupils 
sincerely mourn his death." 

Susan F. Bancroft was a successful 
teacher here in the summer terms of 
1859-60-61. She was born in New Ips- 
wich, N. H., October 25, 1836, the 
daughter of James and Sarah W. 
Kendall Bancroft. She married Al- 
bert Conant of Boston, June, 1867, and 
died in Charlestown on January 28, 
1885. 

The following is an extract from an 
obituary notice of her in 1885: 

"At an early age she attended the 
common schools of her town and then 
entered New Ipswich Appleton acad- 
emy where she pursued her studies, 
attained a high rank as a scholar and 
commenced the development of those 
noble traits of womanly character 
which became so conspicuous in her 



after life. At the age of sixteen she 
began to teach the "District school," 
first in the town of Nelson, and, sub- 
sequently, in New Ipswich, Rindge 
and Wilton. In the autumn of 1860, 
she became preceptress of Appleton 
academy, now McCollom institute, in 
Mt. Vernon, where she remained four 
years, the academy during that time 
being under the charge of her brother. 
Rev. Cecil F. P. Bancroft, Ph. D., now 
principal of Phillips academy, An- 
dover, Mass. She again taught pub- 
lic schools in Mt. Vernon, Amherst, 
and also in Randolph and Charles- 
town, Mass. She was devoted to her 
chosen profession and never seemed 
to be more happy than when engaged 
in imparting instruction. She was 
always at ease in the schoolroom and 
made it attractive for her pupils. With 
them her rule was love and her word 
was law which they kindly and cheer- 
fully obeyed. She had a thorough 
knowledge of her subjects and the 
wonderful art of making her scholars 
to understand them. Of her it can 
be truly said, she was apt to teach." 

Rufus Livermore. who taught this 
school in the winter of 1860, was born 
in Groton on November 1, 1839, son 
of Daniel and Abigail (Trask) Liver- 
more. He fitted for college at Law- 
rence academy and studied for a while 
at Williams college. He then attend- 
ed the Albany Law school and was 
admitted to the bar of New York state. 
While familiarizing himself with the 
Massachusetts legal code and teach- 
ing, the war broke out and he was 
one of the first to enlist and as a 
member of (Groton) Company B, 6th 
regiment, was in the bloody march 
through Baltimore, April 19, 1861. He 
returned to Groton and assisted in 
securing further enlistments and final- 
ly went again to the war in the Third 
Rhode Island cavalry. On January 
22, 1863, he was married to Martha 
Elizabeth Todd. 

After the war he lived for a while 
at the Lewis Blood place on Washing- 
ton street, Groton Junction, now Ayer. 
After this brief residence here, he 
moved to Orange, and became closely 
identified with the concern which 
eventually became the Rodney Hunt 
Machine Company, of which he was 
secretary and director. He became 
one of the most prominent and re- 
spected citizens of the town. He was 



— 26 




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Dr. r>L'iiJamiii Hull llnrtw t'll. J>oru r\'l)riiary 27, iSiJ— Died December 0, rj04. 



a representative to the state legisla- 
ture in 1879, and a state senator for 
the years 1883 and 1SS4. 

Mr. Livermore diod in Orange, July 
8, 1891. after a short illness. Ho was 
closely connected with many local 
organizations, was an active, earnest 
member of the Congregational church, 
a superintendent and teacher in the 
Sunday school, and active in all work 
which promoted tiie welfare of the 
community. 

One of his associates has fittingly 
said: 

"Mr. Livermore was a man for 
whom I felt the highest respect. It 
was not necessary to know him a 
long time and to watch his course 
through a series of years in order to 
be assured of his sterling character. 
He was one of the few men whose 
every act was impressed with inti- 
mate integrity and honor." 

George Anson Bruce, in the winter 
of 1861, became the teacher. It is 
interesting to note that Cecil F. P. 
Bancroft, a former to;icher, was then 
teaching at l\lt. Vernon, N. H., the 
place of birth of Mr. Bruce, where 
he was born on November 19, 1839. 
His parents were Nathaniel and Lucy 
(Butterfield) Bruce. He graduated at 
Dartmouth in the class of 1861, and 
after leaving school No. 2, served in 
Thirteenth N. H. Volunteers in the 
war of the rebellion. He was admit- 
ted to the bar of Middlesex county in 
Massachusetts in April, 1866. He was 
a member of the New Hampshire legis- 
lature, and in 1882-3-4, in the Massa- 
chusetts senate, being president in 
the last named year. He moved to 
Somerville in 1874, and was mayor 
of tliat city for three years. He mar- 
ried on .January 26, 1870, Clara Moors 
Hall, daughter of Joseph Fletcher and 
Sarah (Longley) Hall of Groton. 

Julia Maria Page was the teacher 
in the spring of 1862, and was born 
in Shirley on August 12. 1844. She 
was the daughter of George and Abi- 
gail (Gibson) Page. Slie had tlie ben- 
efit of the instruction at Shirley Cen- 
ter of Charles Goodrich, who taught 
advanced scholars in the lower room 
of the town house, whero she and her 
brother Walter both attended. She 
was also taught privately by Mary 
Longloy, a sister of tiio late Melvln 
W. Longley. This school at Groton 



was her first, and she taught later 
at Shirley village and Sliirlt-y Cen- 
ter. She married Tliomas L. Hazea 
of Shirley on November 17, 1867, and 
died on September 6, 1883. Their 
daugliter, Mabel G. Hazen, born on 
July 27, 1872, wa« a graduate of 
Fitchburg high school, Smith <-ollege, 
and took a course at P.ridgewater as 
preparation for teacher. Like her 
mother, she has been a successful 
teacher. 

Emma Caroline Hartwell. daugliter 
of Benjamin F. and Emma Whitman 
Hartwell, was born in Acton, .Mass., 
May 20, 1843, and with her brother 
Benjamin came with tlieir parents to 
Groton, the place of birth of the fath- 
er, when quite young. She graduated 
at Lawrence academy and became a 
teacher. She taught this scliool in the 
summer and winter of 1863. and in 
the summer of 1864. She afterwards 
went to Galiopolis, Ohio where she 
taugiit for several y«'ars and wliere she 
was married to .M. V. B. Ktnnedy. The 
family afterward moved to Zanes- 
ville. Ohio, where .Mr. Kennedy died. 
She now resides witli her only son in 
the last named city. 

The school committee were pleased 
to say in tiieir rei)ort for 1863-64: 

"The summer and winter terms 
were taught by Miss Emma C. Hart- 
well of tills town, wlio possesses ad- 
mirable (lualities for a teacher"; and 
in the next report for 1864-65: "She is 
a thorough scholar and insists upon 
thoroughness on the part of her pu- 
pils." 

Benjamin Hall Hartwell. who taught 
in the winter of 1S64. had been a pupil 
with his brother Harris in the same 
school. This was his first experience 
in the profession which he later gave 
up for that of a physician. He was 
born in Acton, Mass., February 27. 
1845. and came to Groton with his 
parents in 1847. to the "community" 
location. He graduated at I>awrence 
academy and after his season of teach- 
ing here, taught the school at Sandy 
Iiond. now in Ayer, and then the high 
scliool at Groton Center. Educational 
interest lost a good teacher and the 
medical profession gained an eminent- 
ly successful practitioner. He be- 
came a re«ld»'nt of (he present town 
of Ayor In 1869, and was closely Iden- 
tifit'd with Its schools and other pub- 
lic institutions. He died at Ayer on 



— 27 



December 6, 1904, much lamented and 
long to be remembered. 

Miss Lizzie S. Jaquith, the teacher 
for the summer of 1865, was born in 
Ashby, Mass., and attended the dis- 
trict schools and the high school in 
that town. From the high school she 
came to teach the school in this dis- 
trict. After leaving Groton she taught 
in Ashby, Ashburnham, New Ipswich, 
Milford district schools until her 
marriage in 1876, to Erastus O. Wheel- 
er of Ashby. She died in 1880. A 
sister resides in Fitchburg, and a 
son in Pomfret, Vt. 

Maria Catherine Wright, the eldest 
daughter of Deacon Alva Wright, 
taught in the winter of 1865. She was 
born in Groton, August 18, 1842; was 
a pupil at No. 2, and entered Law- 
rence academy in 1854. With some 
other ambitious young ladies in 1858, 
she was examined at the old brick 
schoolhouse opposite the academy for 
a position as teacher and at that early 
age of sixteen began to teach in 
Groton. At various times she taught 
first at No. 14, at the paper mill; at 
No. 11, Sandy pond; also, in Dun- 
stable and South Lancaster. She also 
taught in the academy at Mt. Vernon, 
N. H., taking the place there of Miss 
Susan F. Bancroft, who had previous- 
ly been a teacher at our school at 
No. 2. In 1867, she went as a teacher 
in a large school for freedmen, the 
Lincoln school at Memphis, Tenn., lo- 
cated in surroundings especially try- 
ing for our eastern girls accustomed 
to good roads, sidewalks and well- 
kept grounds. In 1877, she married 
Shelby H. Sawyer, whom she sur- 
vives and she makes her home in 
Groton. 

In this place it may be said that 
the Wright girls had a fine reputation 
for punctuality and scholarly appli- 
cation, and at one of the examinations 
when they were pupils, the committee 
after looking over the register, wished 
to see those Wright sisters. 

"Where are they; let them stand 
up." They had not been absent or 
tardy during the long, severe winter 
term. 

Fannie E. Wright, the teacher for 
the spring of 1866, was one of the 
three daughters of Alva and Fanny 
G. (Woods) Wright, who all taught 
this school at different times. She 
was born in Groton, December 10, 



1846, and attended this school as a 
pupil and also at Lawrence academy. 
She was married in 1868, to Burton 
W. Potter, esq., who had also attended 
the academy. She also taught in the 
north and east schools of Groton. 
Since her marriage she has held many 
positions of usefulness in the church. 
Woman's club, and patriotic organiza- 
tions of Worcester, where she now 
resides. 

James Calvin Carter Parker came to 
this school in the winter of 1866, as 
a teacher, but did not make an ex- 
tensive stay. This may have been a 
hard school for Mr. Parker, but at any 
rate he failed to arouse the interest 
of his pupils. He was born in Shir- 
ley on July 19, 1846, the son of Dr. 
James Otis and Martha Lincoln Carter 
Parker. After seven months' mili- 
tary service in the Second Massachu- 
setts cavalry in 1865, he attended 
Lawrence academy, being enrolled in 
1866. He also taught at East Shir- 
ley. He was a direct descendant of 
Captain James Parker, an early set- 
tler of Groton, and his father was a 
graduate of old Groton academy in 
1820, and Amherst college in 1834, and 
was a well-known physician at Shir- 
ley. The son died recently, January 
27, 1911, at his home in Shirley. 

Miss Cynthia A. Goodnow, a teach- 
er in the spring of 1868, was born in 
Boston, the daughter of Asa and Cyn- 
thia Hamilton Goodnow, June 27, 1849. 
In her early life, with a sister, Mary 
A., now wife of Leonard Stone of Rox- 
bury, she came to Littleton, after the 
death of their mother, to make her 
home in the family of a cousin, Mrs. 
Mary J. Priest, and for about ten 
years Littleton was their home. Dur- 
ing these years she attended Law- 
rence academy at Groton, being en- 
rolled at that institution with her sis- 
ter in 1865, during that time taking 
private lessons also of Miss Clarissa 
Butler. She graduated at Salem Nor- 
mal school on January 23, 1868, and 
was one of the essayists. After the 
period of teaching in Groton, she went 
to Brookline, Mass., to make a home 
for her father, and died there on Feb- 
ruary 10, 1877. 

The teacher for the spring term of 
1869, was Miss Rebecca Arabella 
Prescott of Westford, Mass. She was 
the daughter of Levi and Rebecca 
Fletcher Prescott, and was born in 



28 



Westford in October, 1848. Wliile 
teaching this school she boarded in 
the family oP John M. Gilson, as sev- 
eral teachers have done. Miss Pres- 
cott attended the i)ublic schools of 
her native town and received private 
instruction preparatory to hor taking 
up the profession, which she followed 
at Littleton, Westford, Sandy pond, 
Granitf'ville and Bridgewater. N. II. 
She died in Westford on August 13, 
1881. 

Miss Genio A. Hunt came from Ver- 
mont to teach the school in the spring 
of 1870. She was born in Fairfax, 
Vt., on April 21, 1847, daughter of 
Heman and Julia Safford Hunt. While 
in Groton, she boarded at the Ephra- 
ini Sawtelle house. Vermont had 
more claims on her services and she 
returned there after the term of 
teaching here. Since then she has 
taught in Vermont, Wisconsin, Ne- 
braska, California and is now teach- 
ing a course in manual arts at Brig- 
ham academy at Bakersfield, Vt. 

Sarah Jane Wright, better known 
to her pupils as Miss Jennie Wright, 
taught several terms, beginning in 
1870. She was born in Groton on 
October 24, 1848, the daughter of 
Deacon Alva and Fanny Gilson 
Wright. She was also for some years 
a pupil here, beginning with Miss 
Alma Willard and ending with her 
own sister, Maria C. Wright, as teach- 
er. Besides teaching here, she also 
taught other schools in Groton, Gran- 
itevllle and Worcester. Miss Wright 
married on December 24, 1873, Josiah 
K. Proctor, and they now live at Wyn- 
cote. Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. 

She recalls many amusing incidents 
as pupil and teacher. At one time a 
boy was given this sentence to read: 
"Why do you not take better care of 
your king?" taken from a bible story. 

In a halting manner the boy read: 
"W-h-why d-do y-o-you n-o-t-not 
tak-take a b-e-basket and c-a-r-carry 
you-your k-i-n-g-king?" 

Mr. Andrews, one of the committee, 
was once questioning a class in gram- 
mar and called upon this same lad 
who had tried "to carry a king in a 
basket," and asked him to give the 
plural of scissors: "Shears sir," he 
replied, and of sheo]), "Sheeps sir." 

A small boy failed to recognize his 
own name when he began to spell it: 



S-t-o-p — h-e-n, until told that It was 
really "Stephen." 

Miss Lucy Maria Hill was well- 
known in the di.strict when she came 
to teach the school in the fall of 1872. 
She lived with hor parents, Hmry and 
Abigail CofTin Hill, upon Farnifrs" 
row, nearer Groton, and liad attended 
the academy in 1864, when her sister 
also attended. She also attended Ab- 
bott academy in Andovor, .Mass She 
was born in Bradford, -Mass., Decem- 
ber 15, 1849; married Frederick 
Fosdick, son of Rev. David Fos- 
dick, a neighbor, April 24. 1873, and 
resided in Fitchburg until her death 
on December 8, 1908. Mr. Fosdick 
has held many positions of trust in 
that city, having been elected mayor 
several times. 

Mrs. Ellen M. Torrey, as a teacher 
of Moors school, will always be re- 
membered as one of the most suc- 
cessful teachers Groton ever had, 
though her work was confined to the 
district schools. She is the daughter 
of the late Samuel and Clarissa 
(Hartwell) Williams, and was born 
in Groton on Chicopee row in 1846. 
She married first. Rev. Watson Wil- 
lard Torrey, a son of Willard Torrey, 
of the T'hicopee row neighborhood, 
and secondly, Sumner R. .Mason. He 
was a son of Rev. S. R. !\Iason, D. D., 
of Cambridge, Mass., who was killed 
in a railroad wreck near Boston, sev- 
eral years ago. The .Mason family, 
after his death, came to Groton in 
1875, and purchased the old Levi 
Stone farm below the school. She 
attended school at No. 7 in her young 
days, and was enrolled at Lawrence 
academy in 1857. During her years 
of teaching she kept school in Con- 
necticut, Iowa, Harvard, Weymouth 
and four different schools in Groton, 
besides giving private instructions in 
Newton. 

Mrs. Mason says: "The motto, 'Not 
how much but how well,' which I 
tried to impress on the minds of my 
beloved pupils of .Moors school has 
in the main been my own." Her 
own children have gone out into the 
world earnest exponents of their 
mother's belief and two have been 
teachers in Groton and Pepperell. 

Mrs. Mason will have the sympathy 
of all her old pupils in the loss of her 
husband. Sumner R. Mason, who died 
on August 5, 1911. 



— 29 — 



The following is a tribute from a 
former pupil to her old teacher: 

"Mrs. Ellen M. Torrey, under whose 
guidance I was fortunate enough to 
be, was far above the average coun- 
try school teacher. Her sunny nature 
and rare womanliness made us all 
love her. She developed the best in 
each one and held up high ideals 
which left an impression upon our 
after lives." 

The teacher for 1877-8. was Miss 
Clara F. Woods of Ayer, a graduate 
of the high school there in 1876, and 
the class secretary. Miss Woods was 
the daughter of Moses W. and Caro- 
line L. Woods, and was born in Shir- 
ley, Mass., December 5, 1859. She 
was a successful teacher here and 
afterwards went to Wellesley college, 
and then taught in Needham, Natick 
and Ayer. She married in April, 1882 
George H. Hill of Ayer, where she 
now resides. 

In 1892, for two terms, Miss Nancy 
Jane May of Groton, was in charge 
of the school. She was the daughter 
of George and Mary May, and was 
born in Groton on June 14, 1873. She 
taught also the Willard and Chaplin 
schools in Groton, the Coolidge and 
Hosmer schools in Watertown, and 
was a teacher at the Elliot school in 
Boston just previous to her death, 
which occurred in that city on Jan- 
uary 17, 1907. She was a graduate 
of the Groton high school, class of 
1890, and attended the State Normal 
school at Framingham. 

In the spring of 1893, the school 
was taught by Miss Martha Leola 
Wright, daughter of Henry T. and 
Martha A. Wright of Groton. She was 
born in Ayer, Mass., July 30, 1872, 
and this was her first school, taken 
up after two years at Smith college, 
Northampton. She had previously 
completed a four-years' course at 
Vermont academy, Saxton River, Vt. 
After a successful term here, she re- 
turned to Smith college and completed 
the course in 1895. She has since 
taught in Ware, Mass., and at present 
is a teacher of history in the North- 
ampton high school. As a pleasant 
accompaniment to the work, she trav- 
eled in 1905, in France, Italy and 
Greece. 

Miss Mary A. Kimball, a well-known 
and successful teacher in Groton 
Center at the present time, presided 



over the school for two terms in 1908, 
while Miss Longley was in California. 
Miss Kimball was born in Alfred, 
Me., the daughter of Alden B. and 
Caroline C. Kimball. She is a gradu- 
ate of the Alfred high school and the 
normal school at Gorham, Me. She 
taught in Maine, and in Massachu- 
setts in the towns of Danvers, Bev- 
erly and Lynn, and in this vicinity 
in Townsend and Pepperell. 

Miss Anna Bancroft, who taught in 
1879, was one of the four daughters 
of the late Edmund Dana and Mary 
P. M. Bancroft. She was born in 
Shirley, Mass., November 21, 1854, 
and her home was at Ayer for many 
years. She graduated at Lawrence 
academy in the class of 1872, and 
taught school ten years in this state 
previous to her marriage to Charles 
H. Richardson of Groton and Wash- 
ington, D. C, October 10, 1883. Mr. 
Richardson had been a pupil at this 
same school nineteen years before. 
As a teacher she was universally 
loved by her pupils and was alto- 
gether successful. Since her hus- 
band's death, Mrs. Richardson has 
resided at Washington, holding a po- 
sition in the dead letter office. 

The long continued service of Miss 
Sarah H. Longley as teacher of this 
school, is one that is quite noticeable 
and which meets with universal ap- 
probation on the part of pupils and 
parents. Thirty complete school 
years at one little brick schoolhouse 
is a record to be proud of, and the 
teacher can see her pupils grow into 
useful men and women while still 
keeping guard over the moral and 
intellectual welfare of those who are 
to follow from the same neighborhood 
school. Miss Longley came to this 
school well equipped with a normal 
school training and is considered one 
of Groton's best teachers, who are 
always needed in tne rural district 
schools. 

A list of pupils who have taught 
school: 

Evans, Harrison D.. Peterboro, Mason. 
Hillsboro, Wilton and Sharon in 
New Hampshire: also, in Illinois, 
and in West Townsend and Chelms- 
ford, Mass. 

Oilson, Mary Emeline, Groton. 

Hartwell, Benjamin H., No. 2-11-Gro- 
ton high. 

Hennisan, Kate, in Groton at Trow- 
bridge, Butler Intermediate and 



— 30 




Miniiil L. (.r:i\r-. I'.i.ni mI dr.. I. in. M:i>«., .Iiil\ l». I>t' 




Xu. o.s. IlMckett House. 




'riic (icrri>li Sturo. ITs;!— iss"). 'r('iii|Mir;ir\ <^)u;irliT- nl (;nitiiii Iliiih Sdmol. 



Tarbcll schools; in Hohlen and at 
Belmont echool, Maldon, Mass.. 
since 1S92. 

Kcycs, Lizzie, Acton. 

Keating, Susie. Maynard and Everett. 

Keating. Mary J., Croton. 

Lawrence. Curtis. No. 2 and No. 12. 

Lawrence. Edward Addison. Apploton 
academy. New Ipswich. N. 11. 

Lawrence. Susan F., No. 2. 

Pollard. Agnes B., No. 2. 

Richardson, Mary Kliza, Westford 

Richardson, Rufus B., Yale, Now Hav- 
en; Bloomlngton, Indiana; Dart- 
mouth. 

Richardson, Charles H., Ayor. 

Richarfffin. Edward A., Groton. 

Stone. Emma. Westford, Shirley and 
Tyngsboro. 

Torrey, Llnette W.. Groton. 

Tuttle Lena W.. Bolton, Littleton, 
Groton. Bradford. N. H.. Green- 
field. N. H., Boscawen. N. H. 

Willnrd, Alma H., No. 2. 

Wright, Sarah J., Groton, Westford, 
Worcester. 

Wright, Maria C.. Groton, Dunstable. 
Now Hampshire. Tennessee. 

Wright. Fannie E.. Groton. 3 schools. 

Walt. Charles H., Kansas. 

Weber, Elinor May. Goshen. Mass., 
Salisbury, N. H.. Plalnfleld. Mass. 

There were four pupils at No. 2 in 
about the same period, who were 
close neighbors and chums and kept 
up the acquaintance in after years as 
they went on to the high school or 
academy and on to still higher edu- 
cational institutions. 

Benjamin H. Hartwell took a course 
of lectures at the medical school at 
Dartmouth and at Jefforson Medical 
college at Philadelphia, where he 
graduated in tSfiS. He became a 
skilled physician as has been stated 
elsewhere. 

His only brother, Harris- C. Hart- 
well, went to Harvard and graduated 
in the class of 1Rfi!>. He located as 
a lawyer in Fitchhurg. where he died 
in 1S91, in the very midst of a suc- 
cessful career. 

Samuel L. Graves went to Amherst 
college, where he graduated in the 
class of 1870. He also located as a 
lawyer in Fitchburg, where he has 
filled many important positions of 
trust. 

Rufus B. Richardson went to Yale, 
where he graduated in ISfiO. and after- 
wards taught there and held profes- 
sorship chairs at Indiana State uni- 
versity and Dartmouth college, and 
became a noted student of Grecian 
antiquities. 

The names of the one-time pupils 
who have had a milit.ary service and 
their enrollment Is here given: 



Brown, Daniel, war of rebellion. 
Brown, William, war of rebellion. 
Dickson. Ihnry A.. Co. B, 6th Massa- 
chusetts regiment; Co. E. 33r<l 
Mas.sachusotts regiment 
I'ickson, Walt<r E.. Co. D. 5th Massa- 
chusetts regiment. 
Donlon. Michael. Co. D, 20th Massachu- 
setts regiment; Co. L. 2na U. S. 
cavalry. ,,,, 

Donlon, Patrick. U. S. railway military 

department. 
Duron. George B.. Co. B. 26th Massa- 
chusetts regiment. 
Duren, Charles, .57th and 59th Massa- 
chusetts regiments. 
Evans. Harrison D., 13th N. H. regi- 
ment. 
Farnsworth. George H.. Co. B. 6tn 

Massachusetts regiment. 
Gllson. George Herman. 26th Massa- 
chusetts regiment. 
Gllson. Sumner. Co. B. 6th Massachu- 
setts regiment. „„ ^ », 
Hackott. Michael. Co. B, 33rd Massa- 
chusetts regiment. 
Hartwell, John S., 14th N. H. regiment 
Kondall. George E.. Co. B. 26th Mass- 
achusetts regiment. 
Messer. Abbott M., Co. B, 26th Massa- 
chusetts regiment. 
Richardson. Rufua B.. Co. B, 6th Mass- 
achusetts regiment. 
Richardson. Alfred A.. Co. B. 6th Mass- 
achusetts regiment. 
Proctor, Sanford. U. S. navy, eight and 

one-half years. 
Mason. Joseph, cadet at U. S. naval 

academy, Annapolis. 
Coding. John W.. cadet at IT. S. mili- 
tary academy. West Point. 
Bcrquist. Oscar W.. Spanish-American 
war. 1S98. 



To this list may be added the 
teachers: 

Bruce, George Anson. 13th N. H. volun- 

Banoroft.' Cecil F. P.. Christian com- 
mission. 1864-65. 

Llvermore. Rufus, Co. B. 6th Massachu- 
setts regiment. 

Parker. James C. C. 2nd Massachusetts 
cavalry. 

Michael Hackett, one of the pupila 
in 1860, just before the war, was the 
son of John and Mary Hackett. and 
came to America when a small boy 
He died in Manchester. N. H., May 11 
1911. aged sixty-eight years. It is 
related that he was such a zealous 
soldier boy that he went off to tht 
rendezvous without informing his 
pnrents and that his mother, with a 
younger infant brother in her arms 
went to the camp and begged for th< 
return of her boy home. The recruit 
ing olTlcer was more willing than th< 
lioy, who was really under age. bu 
tlio'boy Informed his mother that I' 
was no use to take him home for h< 



— 31 — 



would enlist again. She finally gave 
her consent and he went away to the 
war in Company B, 33rd Massachu- 
setts regiment and served four years, 
and at the close of the rebellion en- 
listed in the regular army for a three- 
year service. Mr. Hackett used to say 
that he had been, during his military 
service, in every state In the union, 
except Vermont. He was a brave 
soldier and a general favorite with 
officers and men. He was an active 
member of Louis Bell Post No. 3, G. 
A. R., at Manchester. He is survived 
by a widow, one son and five daugh- 
ters. 

Henry A. Dickson, a pupil for a 
short period in about 1842, was one 
of those patriotic citizens, who in 
April, 1861, responded to the first call 
for troops, and marched to the de- 
fence of the national capital. After 
serving in Company B, "Old Sixth," 
for three months, he enlisted in Com- 
pany E, 33rd Massachusetts regiment 
for three years. Mr. Dickson lives in 
Fitchburg and was the commander of 
E. V. Sumner Post 19. G. A. R., for 
the past year. 

In closing this school narrative I 
am aware that the subject is of more 
particular interest to those families 
which have had representatives in 
the school as pupils or teachers, than 
to the general reader. The work has 
been undertaken with a purpose to 
preserve the fugitive facts, less easily 
obtainable as the years pass by. The 
reminiscences of old pupils of school 
life here bring out many almost for- 
gotten facts in the home life of the 
inhabitants of the district. To some 
extent this account is supplementary 
to "The story of a Neighborhood," 
which was published in the spring 
of 1911. 



Some of the old pupils recall their 
attendance at the high school in the 
upper part of the Gerrish building at 
Groton Center, just before the new 
high school was erected in 1870. 

The present generation of scholars 
will be interested to learn something 
of the school life of those earlier ones, 
who trudged over these same country 
roads, in sunshine and in storm and 
sat within the same walls to secure 
the instruction which would fit them 
for whatever station in life. 

The old homes have undergone 
transformations from time to time, 
with here an addition and there an 
entirely new house, but in many cases 
the general form of the buildings is 
the same as when erected. 

The views of houses shown here- 
with may be identified as the homes 
of the pupils by referring to the num- 
bered list of the homes of parents in 
the forward part of this narrative. 

At the "Community" on the hill, 
fires and removals near the Groton 
Episcopal school have caused many 
of the old houses to disappear and 
have changed the entire neighborhood, 
but on the east road very few changes 
have been made in the homes, and 
with one exception, fire has not placed 
its effacing hand in that part of the 
old district. 

Not to the same extent as formerly 
do the families continue on at the 
old homesteads, generation after gen- 
eration, but the present occupants may 
see in imagination the sacrifices and 
hopes of former owners for the suc- 
cess of the children who were brought 
up beneath the old roof-trees and 
were pupils at Old Number Two 
School. 



■32 — 



Huntley S. Turner, Printer, Ayer 



Die 18 m\ 



LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS 



014 079 023 



